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The Aeroplane Boys Series 


On the Edge of the Arctic 

OR 


An Aeroplane in Snowland 
































The Gitchie Manitou ready for 
its first flight in the far North. 



On the Edge of the 
Arctic 

OR 

An Aeroplane in Snowland 



Illustrated by Norman P. Hall 


The Reilly & Britton Co, 
Chicago 


COPYRIGHT. 1913 

by 

THE REILLY & BRITTON CO. 

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 


ON THE EDGE OF THE ARCTIC 



CONTENTS 


CHAP. PAGE 

I Introducing an Airship and Count Zept 9 

II A Curious Stranger Learns the Object op the 

Gitchie Manitou 27 

III Colonel Howell Makes a Novel Proposal 42 

IV Colonel Howell Discovers an Old Friend in 

Jack Zept 58 

V Negotiating and Outfitting 72 


VI The Expedition Strikes a Snag in Edmonton. ... 86 
VII A Tempestuous Voyage to Athabasca Landing . . 100 
VIII Count Zept Makes Himself Known at the Land- 


ing 114 

IX The Song of the Voyageur 128 

X Paul Awakens to the Situation 142 

XI Preparing Camp for Winter 155 

XII Breasting a Blizzard in an Airship 169 

XIII In the Land of Caribou, Moose and Musk Ox. . .187 

XIV In the Cabin of the Paralyzed Indian 201 

XV A Letter Goes Wrong 217 

XVI Roy Conducts a Hunt 232 

XVII The Gitchie Manitou Wins a Race ,248 


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LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 


The Gitchie Manitou ready for its first flight in the 
Far North .Frontispiece \/^ 

1 1 1 ’ve an idea and I got it the minute I saw your aeroplane 
to-day’ ’ 51 1 

“ Don’t shoot,” he protested. * 1 What’s the use?” 183 ^ 


1 1 They must have seen us, ’ ’ panted Eoy, as he and Norman 
advanced 209 






























































On the Edge of the Arctic 

OR 

An Aeroplane in Snowland 


CHAPTEK I 

INTRODUCING AN AIRSHIP AND COUNT ZEPT 

This story, which is an account of the pecul- 
iar and marvelous adventures by which two 
Canadian boys — Norman Grant and Roy 
Moulton — achieved a sudden fame in the 
Arctic wilderness of the great Northwest, had 
its beginning in the thriving city of Calgary. 
The exact time was the big day of the cele- 
brated “ Stampede/ ’ Calgary’s famous civic 
celebration. It was in July and among the 
many events that had drawn thousands of 
people to the new Northwestern metropolis, 
Norman and Roy were on the program as avia- 
tors and exhibitors of their new aeroplane. 

These young men were born in Calgary and 
had lived eighteen years in that city. Since 

9 


10 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

this almost covered the period of Calgary’s 
growth from a trading post to a modern city, 
each young man had a knowledge of the wilder- 
ness and its romance that other boys could get 
only from history. This meant that they knew 
plainsmen, scouts, ranchmen, cowboys, hunters, 
trappers, and even Indians as personal friends. 
It meant also that they had a real knowledge 
of the prairies, the woods and even of the moun- 
tains. Their knowledge of these men and the 
land in which they lived was personal and did 
not come from the fanciful narratives of books 
of adventure. 

Each boy was the son of a mechanic, men 
who had come into the Province of Alberta with 
the first railroads. And each boy was educated 
in all that a grammar school affords. The 
picturesque romance of the Northwest having 
been a part of the life of each, it might have 
been supposed that the ambitions of the two 
lads would have run toward mining or ranch 
life or even toward the inviting work of hunt- 
ers or trappers. 

To the gratification of their fathers, how- 
ever, they fell in with the modern movement 
and turned toward mechanics. When the 
furore for aeronautics reached even far-away 


On the Edge of the Arctic 11 

Calgary, the boys found themselves passion- 
ately absorbed in all airship discoveries. 
Mr. Grants position as a division mechanic 
of a great trunk railroad, and Mr. Moulton’s 
“ Electrical Supply Factory/ ’ gave the boys 
their starting point. Later, in Mr. Moulton’s 
factory, an outbuilding was appropriated and 
in this place, with the approval and assistance 
of their fathers, the two boys finally completed 
an airship. This was but a spur to a renewed 
effort, and within a year, the boys attending 
school meanwhile, they finished their improved 
aeroplane. It was named the “ Gitchie Manx- 
ton ” or “ Spirit of the Wind ” — words taken 
from the Cree Indians. 

The original ideas that resulted in this in- 
genious contrivance came mainly from the boys 
themselves. Yet they neglected no suggestions 
that they could find in the latest aeronautical 
journals. This wonderful machine was only 
locally known, but when the citizens of Calgary 
planned their local celebration, known as the 
“ Stampede,” there was knowledge among the 
promoters, of the just completed “ Gitchie 
Manitou.” It was fitting that this modern in- 
vention should be shown in contrast with all 
that was being collected to exhibit the past, 


12 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


so an arrangement was made with the young 
aviators to give a daily flight in the new air- 
ship. 

44 It really isn’t made for work of this kind,’ ’ 
argued Norman to his companion when the 
suggestion was made to them, 44 but if it’ll work 
in the winter in the wind and snow, as we’ve 
planned, I reckon we ought to be able to put it 
over in the park.” 

44 Oh, it’ll work all right,” responded Roy. 
44 But what if it does ? I never quite figured out 
that we were to turn ourselves into showmen.” 

4 4 Listen ! ’ ’ interrupted Grant at once. 
4 4 You ’ve got to show your goods first. It ’s just 
the place where we may meet people who will 
understand what it’s good for.” 

4 4 And even then what are we going to do ? ” 
asked Roy. 44 Sell it to some mail or stage con- 
tractor? To some one who works in the bliz- 
zard? ” 

The other boy shook his head: 44 1 don’t 
know,” he answered slowly, 44 but it’s certainly 
going to come in handy for some one. I don’t 
know of any other machine that you can run in 
a snowstorm or that would be any good up here 
in the wilderness when the bad weather comes 
on. They’re not going to pay us much for risk- 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


13 


mg our necks, but I’m in favor of making a 
contract, just to see if some one doesn’t come 
along who’ll understand it.” 

“ Then,” suggested Roy with a smile, “ I 
suppose all that’ll be left for us to do will be to 
sell it and go to work on another one.” 

“ Oh, I don’t know,” answered young Grant 
slowly, “ there aren’t many aviators ’round 
here! ” 

“ What do you mean? ” 

“We might get a job running it.” 

The other boy’s eyes sparkled. “ That set- 
tles it, ’ ’ he announced. ‘ ‘ Let ’s sign up and do 
the best we can.” 

Calgary is to-day the little Chicago of the 
great Northwest. In the heart of it one may 
find the last of the old-time frontier life, while 
around and over this is all that makes a modern 
city. At this time the civic pride of the city had 
prompted its citizens to prepare' an exhibit 
typical of that part of the country which, 
throughout Canada and the States, was also de- 
scribed in placards and vivid pictures as the 
“ Stampede.” 

The main reason for this was that in the 
pushing westward of the refinements of civili- 
zation it was perhaps the last thing of its kind 


14 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

that could be celebrated on such a scale on this 
continent. The modern Provincial Fairground, 
lying well within the city limits of Calgary, 
was selected as the site of the performance. 
Here, when the “ Stampede ” finally took place, 
thousands of people made their way from the 
Western States and northwestern Canada. 
There were among them many theatrical pro- 
ducers, moving picture operators, and others 
especially interested in such a unique exhibit, 
from the far East. All could foresee possibili- 
ties that might never again be presented. 

It would bring together the last of the plains- 
men, scouts, trappers, and many others who 
had been engaged in the conquest of the wilder- 
ness. This meant a strange mixture of the men 
who had made possible the romance of both 
western America and the wide Canadian North- 
west. There were to be full-blood Indians, 
half-breeds, and that curious mixture of foreign- 
ers who had made their way through the fur- 
hearing North by way of frozen Hudson’s 
Bay. The men would he there who had trav- 
eled through pathless woods, who had found 
and named rivers and who had scaled unknown 
mountain peaks — many of them in the leather 
coats and moccasins of old days. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 15 

Where it was possible, these survivors of a 
period now gone were to bring with them the 
weapons of the frontier and the implements of 
camp life. There were to be stage coaches and 
freight wagons of the prairies, relics of the trail 
and the paraphernalia of the frontier. 

The program of the Stampede included the 
exhibition of these people and their old-time 
life as well as it could be reproduced. Horses 
noted for their viciousness, Mexican bulls espe- 
cially selected for their savageness, and the 
untamed range cayuse, were to exhibit the prow- 
ess of the horsemen. With these, the Indians 
and their families were to copy the life of the 
woods in the tepee and the movements on the j 
trail. 

Having concluded a contract to become par-' 
ticipants in this unique affair, Norman Grant: 
and Roy Moulton developed an interest in it 
that they did not know they possessed. To 
them most of it was an old story. But, having 
superintended the erection of an aerodrome on 
the edge of the open field inside the race track, 
they were surprised at the interest they began 
to take in the many curious people who soon 
began to arrive and install themselves in tents 
and cabins. 


1G The Aeroplane Boys Series 

The exhibition was to last one week. On 
Monday morning of Stampede week, while 
the two boys were engaged in installing the 
aeroplane, Roy suddenly disappeared. He was 
gone over a half hour and when he returned, 
flushed with some new enthusiasm, he found 
his chum Norman much disgruntled. The ma- 
chine had been set up before Roy left and he 
had stolen away while Norman was working 
with the engine. 

“ Everything all right? ” asked Roy a little 
guiltily as he observed his companion seated 
on a box, a half scowl on his face. 

“ I guess so,” answered Grant without a 
smile. “ At least, I did all I could, alone .” 

“ I didn’t think there was much to do,” ex- 
claimed Roy apologetically. ‘ 1 I had something 
I wanted to do — I’d have asked you to go, 
but I didn’t think you’d care. I’ve been to 
see those La Biche rivermen.” 

“ Where’s La Biche, and what rivermen? ” 

“ Oh, you know, Lac la Biche, way up coun- 
try, where the rivermen come from.” 

“I don’t know anything about ’em — you 
mean * scow men ’? ” 

“ Of course,” answered Roy, taking off his 
coat. “ I wanted to see ’em and I knew they 


On the Edge of the Arctic 17 

got in last night. I’ve met all kind of Indians, 
but these old boatmen don’t get down this way 
very often.” 

“ Why’d you think I didn’t care? ” asked 
the other boy. “ If you mean a real old bat- 
teau steersman, I never saw one either. I 
reckon I’d have gone a few hundred yards to 
see one of ’em if he ’s the real goods. Since the 
steamboats came in, I thought they’d all played 
out. Are these fellows half-breeds or full- 
bloods? ” 

“ Don’t make any mistake about ’em! ” re- 
sponded Roy eagerly. “ I’ve seen all kinds of 
Indians but these are some I never did see. 
They’re all right, too. If there’s anything 
about a canoe or a flatboat that they don’t 
know, I guess nobody can tell it to ’em.” 

“ They’ll have a fine time doing any pad- 
dling or steering around here in this race 
track,” suggested Norman gruffly. “ How are 
they goin’ to show ’em off? But what do they 
look like? ” 

“ They’re not wearing Indian togs much,” 
explained Roy, taking a seat by his friend, 
“ and I’ve never seen real old full-blood In- 
dian rivermen, but I know these fellows look 
like ’em. But I’d change their names if I was 
going to put ’em on the program.” 


18 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ Don’t sound Indian enough? ” suggested 
Norman. “ Full-bloods never do seem to have 
real Indian names. Seems like all the loafin’ 
half-breeds take the best names.” 

“ Anyway,” went on Roy, “ these men are 
John Martin, or old 4 Moosetooth,’ and Wil- 
liam La Biche.” 

44 Moosetooth and La Biche are all right,” 
commented Norman. 44 Do they wear shoes? ” 

4 4 No,” explained Roy, 44 they’re in mocca- 
sins — plain mooseskin wrapped around the 
ankles. You’d know ’em by that. And they 
both carry the Cree tobacco pouch, with the long 
tassels hanging out of their hip pocket — so 
they can find the pouch in the dark, I suppose. ’ ’ 

44 And black Stetson hats? ” added Norman, 
44 with big silver buttons all around the leather 
band? ” 

4 4 Sure! ” answered the other boy. 44 But 
you ought to see their arms. Neither one of 
’em is big, but if you saw their arms you’d 
know how they swing those twenty-foot steer- 
ing oars. I got a hankerin’ after those fel- 
lows. Any man who can stand in the stern of 
an old Hudson Bay Company 4 sturgeon head ’ 
and steer it through fifteen hundred miles 
o’ rivers and lakes, clear down to the Arctic 


On the Edge of the Arctic 19 

Ocean, and then walk back if necessary, has 
got it all over the kind of Indians I know.” 

Norman looked at him a few moments and 
then got up and motioned him out of the aero- 
drome. He swung the big doors together, 
locked them, and then exclaimed: 

“ I don’t care to get excited over every old 
greasy Indian that comes along but lead me 
to old Moosetooth.” 

Roy, who was well pleased over so easily 
placating his chum, at once led the way around 
the race track and through the fringe of tepees, 
tents and other shelters being erected for the 
housing of the fast gathering arrivals. At last 
he stood before a group of mooseskin tepees 
in which were gathered several families of Cree 
Indians. These people had been brought from 
the present famous Indian encampment on the 
shores of Lac la Biche, just south of Atha- 
basca River, where it turns on its long north- 
ward journey to the Arctic Ocean. 

It is the men of this region who are sought 
by the great fur companies, by adventurers and 
sportsmen and by all those traffickers who use 
the great riverway to the north. And it is from 
them that the skilled canoe men and tbe experi- 
enced flatboat steersmen are selected for the 


20 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

conduct of the precious flotillas on these north- 
ern waters. 

From Lac la Biche the veterans are called 
each year when the ice is gone out of the Atha- 
basca, to take charge of the great Hudson’s Bay 
Company’s fleet of batteaux whose descent of 
the river means life to those who pass their 
winters in the far north. These things both 
boys knew, and hence their interest in Moose- 
tooth Martin and old man La Biche. 

i i Here they are ! ’ ’ announced young Moul- 
ton as, without hesitation, he made his way 
through the litter of the little camp where the 
women were already cooking the inevitable 
bannock. 

Norman greeted each man and welcomed them 
to the camp. The Indians were beyond middle 
age and the dark face of each was seamed with 
wrinkles. Nothing in Moosetooth’s yellow 
regular teeth warranted his name, however. 
This might better have been applied to La 
Biche, whose several missing teeth emphasized 
his few remaining ones. 

The two men and others were squatted near 
the fire, each smoking a short black pipe. Some 
spoke English but there was little conversa- 
tion. The boys turned to examine a couple of 


On the Edge of the Arctic 21 

rare birch-bark canoes and the camp itself, but 
almost at once they were distracted by the 
appearance of a new spectator in the group 
already surrounding the camp. 

This was a young man, not much beyond the 
two boys in age but older in expression. He 
had a foreign look, and wore a small moustache. 
Norman instantly noted that his face showed 
mild traces of dissipation. The stranger was 
tall and although slight in build seemed full 
of energy and somewhat sinewy in body. His 
clothes were distinctive and of a foreign cut. 
He wore smart riding gloves, a carelessly 
arranged but expensive necktie in which was 
stuck a diamond studded horseshoe. He was 
smoking a cigarette. 

“ Hello,’ ’ he said to Norman. “ Pretty 
classy boats these, eh? ” 

“ Yes,” responded the boy, “ and pretty rare 
too. You don’t see many of these around any 
more.” 

‘ ‘ I thought all the Indians used birch-bark 
boats in the North,” commented the young man. 

“ No more! ” explained Roy. “ They ship 
cedar boats up to Herschel Island now. I 
haven’t seen one of these bark boats for years. 
But these are the real stuff! ” 


22 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ Do you live here? ” asked the young man, 
drawing on his cigarette. 

“ Both of us have lived here all our lives,’ ’ 
answered Roy, looking the unusual young man 
over carefully. 

“ Well, I’m a stranger,” resumed the young 
man, proffering his cigarette case, which ap- 
peared to be of gold and bore a crest on it. 
When the boys declined he went on: “I’m 
going to live here now, however. I’ve just 
come from Paris. I’m Mr. Zept’s son. You 
know him ? ” 

The two boys straightened. Mr. Zept was 
one of the richest and most active citizens of 
Calgary. He was even ranked as a millionaire, 
having made his money with the other big horse 
ranchmen in that part of the world. He was 
a close friend of Norman’s father and had 
been especially active in organizing the Stam- 
pede. 

“Oh, of course!” exclaimed Norman. 
“ Everyone knows Mr. Zept. He’s the big 
man in this show. I’m glad to know you. I 
am Norman Grant and my friend here is Roy 
Moulton. ’ ’ 

“ Oh, you’re the fellows who are going to 
give the airship show,” responded the young 


On the Edge of the Arctic 23 

man with a marked interest. “ I am glad to 
meet you. I’m Paul Zept. I’m just through 
school — in Paris. I’ve been living with my 
grandfather. Now I’m going to live here. My 
father wants me to go on one of his ranches. I 
like horses but I don’t think I like ranches.” 

“ Your father has some fine ones,” suggested 
Roy. 

“ Yes, I know,” answered the young man, 
“ but I want to get out on the frontier. I 
thought this was the frontier.” He smiled as 
he turned to wave his hand toward the sky- 
scrapers and factory chimneys and suburban 
homes near by on the hills. “ But this doesn’t 
look much like it. I want to get out in the 
wilds — and that’s where I’m going.” 

“ Do you know what that means? ” asked 
Norman with a smile in turn. “ Do you know 
about the spoiled pork and bannock and mos- 
quitoes? ” 

“ I suppose you mean the rough part,” 
answered the young man. “ I’ve never had 
much of that but I want to try it. I want to get 
beyond civilization. I want to get where I can 
see things I can’t read about. I’m tired of 
Paris and school and I want to see the real 
wilderness.” 


24 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ It’s gone! ” interrupted Roy again with a 
laugh. 

“ All gone? ” asked the young man with a 
peculiar look. 

“ Nearly all, ’ ’ exclaimed Norman; “ unless 
you go a great ways from here. Unless,” he 
continued, his smile broadening into a grin, 
“ you can arrange to go home with Moosetooth 
here or La Biche.” 

“ Well,” responded the young man as he lit 
a new cigarette, “ if that's true I think I’m 
going with them. ’ ’ 

His tone was so positive and so conclusive 
that neither Norman nor Roy made any imme- 
diate comment. Moved by politeness they asked 
the young man if he would care to have a look 
at the airship. While Norman explained some- 
thing about himself and his companion the three 
young men made their way back to the aero- 
drome. Before they reached it he had related 
their own small adventures. 

Then young Zept had made them further 
acquainted with himself. Like his father he 
had been born in Austria and later had been 
sent to school in Paris. There, as Norman and 
Roy could see, he had received a more than 
ordinary education, part of which, as the boys 


On the Edge of the Arctic 25 

afterwards learned, was devoted to music. 
They also learned later that although not a 
great singer he had a pleasing tenor voice. 

Paul told them himself that he had devoted 
a great deal of time to horsemanship. This, 
he explained, was doubtless due to the fact that 
his father had always engaged in the raising 
and selling of horses. The young man also 
explained to the boys that he had not only 
received the ordinary riding lessons but that 
he had also been trained under Austrian and 
Italian military riding masters. His interest 
in the coming “ Stampede ” was due largely to 
the exhibit of horsemanship that he expected 
to see. 

“ I can’t see why you wouldn’t like life on a 
horse ranch,” commented Roy at last. 

“ No matter! ” responded the young man. 
“ I do like horses and I know it’s going to be a 
jolly row with the governor but I’ve always 
had my own way and I don’t think he’ll stop 
me now. I think I’m going into the wilderness 
— even if I have to go alone. I’ve been riding 
horses all my life. Now I want to do something. 
The governor wants me to go in for making 
money. I want to discover something.” 

Again the two boys looked at each other with- 


26 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

out knowing just what to say. Their new 
acquaintance was certainly affable enough, but 
his education and his foreign bearing put him 
somewhat above the young men and they felt 
a certain reticence in his presence. Finally, 
as Norman unlocked the door of the aerodrome, 
it occurred to him to say : 

“ This wilderness idea is pretty fine at long 
range or in books, but it seems to be like some 
other things. If you’ve got the real hankering 
for it, rotten food and all the mosquitoes in 
the world won’t keep you from it.” 

“ You don’t know it,” broke in the young 
Austrian instantly, “ but if we’re going to live 
in the same town I might as well tell you that a 
lot of people call me 1 Count Zept. ’ Of course 
I’m not a 6 Count ’ and I don’t know why they 
gave me the title, unless it’s because I’ve never 
been good for much. Now I’m going to get rid 
of that handle to my name by showing my folks 
and others that I can do something besides ride 
horses. I’m going home with old Moosetooth 
and La Biche and stay there long enough to 
forget there’s a place like Paris.” 


CHAPTER II 


A CURIOUS STRANGER LEARNS THE OBJECT OF THE 

Gitchie Manitou 

The announced flight of the young aviators 
Monday afternoon was delayed until the hour 
grew so late that this feature of the program 
was postponed until the next day. It was the 
old story of over-enthusiastic amateur assist- 
ants who persisted in giving unsolicited aid 
when the airship was being taken from the aero- 
drome. A young man who thought the machine 
had to be carried instead of being wheeled onto 
the starting field sought to lift the rear truss 
by means of the lateral rudder. In doing this, 
he punctured the oiled silk plane. After a futile 
attempt to sew the rent, Norman was forced to 
ask the police to clear their enclosure. When 
Mr. Zept, one of the committeemen, called and 
learned of the situation, he advised a postpone- 
ment of the flight until the next afternoon. 

‘ ‘ My son tells me, * , remarked Mr. Zept as he 
was about to leave the aerodrome, “ that he 
27 


28 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


had the pleasure of meeting you boys this morn- 
ing. I’m glad of it. I hope you’ll be friends.’ ’ 

“ He’s a fine young man,” answered Nor- 
man. “You ought to be proud of him.” 

“ All parents should be proud of their chil- 
dren,” answered Mr. Zept with a sober face. 
“I’ve tried to give Paul a good education and 
I hope I’ve done the best for him. But I have 
never seen much of him and, in a way, ’ ’ he added 
with a smile, “ I hardly know him as well as I 
do you boys.” 

“He’s certainly enthusiastic,” remarked 
Roy, “ and — and impulsive,” he added, hesi- 
tatingly. 

“ He really has some peculiar ideas,” com- 
mented Mr. Zept. “ But I suppose they’re nat- 
ural. I had peculiar ideas myself.” 

“ Yes,” suggested Norman, “ he makes a 
great deal out of things that are old stories to 
us. If we didn’t live here and know the West 
as well as we do, I suppose we would have the 
same romantic ideas. ’ ’ 

Mr. Zept was just making his departure, but 
at this he paused. 

“ What do you mean? ” he asked suddenly 
and with some concern in his voice. 

“ Ch, you know he’s determined to see the 


On the Edge of the Arctic 29 

real wilderness,” laughed Roy. “ He wants to 
get a taste of the life the story books describe. 
I told him it might not be such an appetizing 
meal but I imagine he’s set on it.” 

“So I believe,” answered Mr. Zept, “ al- 
though it isn’t what I had planned for him. 
By the way,” he added quickly, “ you young 
men know how little there is in indulging this 
longing for wilderness adventure. I hope if you 
have a chance you won’t fail to impress upon 
Paul the facts as we know them. I want him 
to live at home now, with his mother and me. 
I’m afraid he’s been too long away from us.” 

That evening the two young men could not 
resist the temptation to visit the downtown 
district where the hotels were crowded with 
visitors and the city was resplendent with un- 
usual activity. Norman left Roy with some 
friends at the King George Hotel and went 
home at an early hour. When Roy called at 
Norman’s house the next morning, on his way 
to the Stampede Grounds, he spoke of some 
new information he had picked up the night 
before. 

“ I found out last night,” he began at once, 
“ that everything isn’t as sunshiny in the Zept 
home as it might be. Our new friend, the Count, 


30 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


I was told by some friends, got a pretty early 
start in the fast life of Paris. Mr. Zept wants 
Paul to stay at home a while, as I get it, to 
make some changes in him if he can.” 

44 What do you mean? ” asked Norman. 
44 But I can guess it — it's in his face. And it 
isn’t cigarettes either.” 

44 Right,” answered Roy. 44 We call it booze 
out here, but in the young man’s circle in Paris 
I reckon it wouldn’t be worse than wine. Any- 
way, they say, young as he is, that’s one of his 
pleasures. He doesn ’t look to me as if drinking 
had ever bothered him much but, from what I 
hear, he’s come to the point where his father 
thinks he’s got to stop it if it’s ever going to be 
stopped. He’s only been in town a few days 
and they say he rides like a States’ Indian. 
But this hasn ’t taken all his time. He ’s already 
in with the fast set here and you know, in a 
pinch, there’s people in Calgary who can give 
a pretty good imitation of high life in great 
cities. ’ ’ 

4 4 I can guess the rest,” said Norman. 44 His 
father brought him out here to put him on a 
ranch. When he found that his son hadn’t this 
idea, it rather upset certain plans.” 

4 4 And he ’d like us to put in a few knocks but 


On the Edge of the Arctic 31 

I reckon that ’ll be some job. As far as I can 
see, it’s young fellows like Zept who turn these 
hardships into glories. I’ve heard of kids like 
him who are really at home where there’s no 
trail and whose idea of luxury is a canoe and 
a blanket and a piece of pork.” 

4 4 Well,” concluded Norman, “ if I didn’t 
have the aeroplane bug just now, I’d like to 
have a chance at the ponies and horses on one 
of Mr. Zept’s big ranches. A canoe and a 
blanket are all right, but on a cold evening when 
the snow’s spitting I don’t think they’ve got 
anything on a chuck wagon and a good tent. ’ ’ 
On the way to the show grounds, Eoy went 
into further details of the gossip he had heard 
concerning young Zept’s escapades, not only in 
Paris but in the south of France. 

“ One thing’s sure,” commented Norman at 
last, “ wild as he may be about a lot of things, 
he ain’t crazy about airships. That’s saying 
something these days.” 

This remark was made because the Count, 
while showing a polite interest in the Gitchie 
Manitou, had not bubbled over with exuberance. 
The boys felt somewhat chagrined over this 
lack of enthusiasm until they recalled that to 
young Zept an airship was an old story, the 


32 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

young man having witnessed many flights by 
the most improved French monoplanes. 

On this, the second day of the Stampede, 
about five o’clock Norman made a respectable 
if not very exciting flight. He was somewhat 
nervous and was glad when the exhibition was 
over, and had no sooner landed than he deter- 
mined on the following day to attempt a more 
ambitious demonstration. On Wednesday and 
Thursday he added some thrills to his evening 
flight, making on the latter evening a landing 
in the shape of a corkscrew spiral that got for 
him special notice in the newspapers the next 
morning. It also got for him an admoni- 
tion from his father, when the latter read this 
story, that a repetition of it would result in a 
breaking of his contract with the Stampede 
authorities. 

“ All right, father,” conceded the young 
aviator, “ but that ain’t a marker to the pos- 
sibilities of the machine. I haven’t put over the 
real stunt yet. ’ ’ 

“ And what’s that? ” demanded his parent. 

“ I had planned, on the last day of the show, 
to make an ascent as high as one reservoir of 
gas would take me — and that means so high 
that you couldn’t see me — and then make a 


On the Edge of the Arctic 33 

volplane back to the ground without using the 
engine. ’ ’ 

“ Are you going to try that? ” demanded his 
father sternly. 

The boy looked at him and laughed. 

“ Probably not — now,” he remarked, “ al- 
though the show’d be over then.” 

“ Try it,” snapped his father, “ and that’ll 
be the last thing you’ll have to do with your 
Gitchie whatever -you~call-it 

The next evening, which concluded the big 
day of the Stampede, twenty thousand people 
attended the long afternoon’s program. When 
the aeroplane appeared for its fourth flight, an 
army of people surrounded the starting field. 
Warned by his father, Norman made a less 
dangerous exhibit, but one that was on the whole 
more interesting to the eager spectators. Hav- 
ing given illustrations of many of the tricks of 
show aviators, including the roll and the bank- 
ing of racing machines on short circular courses, 
he made a journey out over the hills until the 
aeroplane was lost to sight. The enthusiasm 
that greeted his reappearance and the approach 
of the machine like a bird through the blue haze 
of the endless prairies, stirred the crowd as the 
more dangerous maneuvers had not. Before 


34 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

reaching the inclosnre, the monoplane climbed 
ahont four thousand feet into the air and then 
volplaned gracefully toward one of the large 
exhibition buildings just in the edge of the 
grounds. When it seemed as if Norman was 
about to smash the Gitchie Manitou against 
the big green-roofed building, even Roy started 
and held his breath. Then there was a quick 
spring upwards and, with the last momentum 
of the gliding monoplane, it lifted over the 
structure and settled upon the dust of the race 
track inclosure like a wide-winged bird. 

When, escorted by ample police, the aero- 
plane had been wheeled into the aerodrome, 
the two boys immediately closed the doors and 
the officers dispersed the onlookers. It was 
late and there was not much trouble in doing 
this. When only a few persons were left in 
the vicinity, the doors were thrown open again 
and the car was trundled out to receive its after- 
flight examination. Norman, yet wearing his 
cap and jacket, had climbed into the cockpit 
to overhaul the rudder wires and engine valves ; 
Roy was inspecting the body of the car, when 
the attention of both boys was attracted by a 
cheery salutation from a stranger. 

‘ ‘ Good evening, young gentlemen, ’ ’ exclaimed 


On the Edge of the Arctic 35 

a man who was unmistakably from the States. 
“ I’ve been trying to have a look at your ma- 
chine but IVe only just now succeeded in 
evading the police. I hope I’m not in the 
way? ” 

Since there were few persons about, the 
boys smiled. 

“ Glad to see you,” answered Roy. “ Glad 
to see anyone if he comes alone. It’s only the 
mob that bothers us.” 

The stranger smiled and lifted his hat in 
renewed greeting. 

“ IVe been watching your flight to-day,” he 
went on, directing his remark to Norman, “ and 
I judge it must require some nerve.” 

“ It requires a good machine and some little 
experience,” responded Norman deprecatingly. 

The man was a well-set-up, ruddy complex- 
ioned individual somewhat beyond middle age. 
His clothes might have been made anywhere in 
the East and yet, in spite of certain smart 
touches in them, the man wore a negligee shirt, 
a flowing black necktie and an abundance of 
hair that indicated an acquaintance with the 
freer costumes and manners of the West. A 
large diamond ring on his weatherworn and 
sinewy finger suggested that this jewelry was 


36 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

probably only worn on occasions. He bad a 
good-natured countenance which unquestionably 
could easily show decision and force of 
character. 

“ Come in,” remarked Roy, good-humoredly. 
“ Sorry I can’t offer you a chair.” 

“ Seriously,” retorted the stranger, “I’ve 
been watching you with more than mere curios- 
ity. I have a special desire to know something 
about your airship if you can give me a few 
minutes.” 

Without questioning the man further, the 
two boys, glad enough of the opportunity, at 
once began an explanation of the craft that had 
in the last few days demonstrated its practica- 
bility. The stranger followed them intently, 
interrupting them now and then with questions, 
and showed a surprising interest in the elabor- 
ate description given him by the young aviators. 
Considering its origin, the aeroplane was a 
more than ingenious piece of work. In gen- 
eral it followed the stream lines of the modern 
French monoplane. Its distinguishing varia- 
tion was a somewhat wider bulge in the for- 
ward part of its birdlike body. 

While in most monoplanes this framework, 
to which the planes are attached, is made only 


On the Edge of the Arctic 37 

wide enough to accommodate a narrow cockpit 
and the compact engine located in its apex, in 
this car the cockpit was almost double in size 
that of the average machine. So wide was it 
that two passengers might sit side by side. The 
flying planes of the car and its five-foot body 
gave the aeroplane an entire width of thirty- 
seven feet. 

The planes were attached to the body proper 
by rigid flanges, reinforced by wires running 
from tip to tip of the planes, passing directly 
over the body, and not elevated on bracing 
chandelles. These wires were taut and made 
a part of the planes, much like reinforcing ribs. 
Beneath the planes three heavy wires ran from 
their forward tips to the bottom of the car. 

There were no flexing devices to manipulate 
the rear edges of the planes, but on the rigid 
frames of each plane was a lateral rudder 
manipulated by one lever standing in the for- 
ward part of the cockpit. 

The stream lines of the body tapered birdlike 
to the horizontal rudder twenty feet in the rear. 
The truss work of the body was covered with 
diagonally crossing strips of veneer, so that, 
as a whole, with the rigid planes, the mono- 
plane had a substantial appearance. This 


38 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

frame, covered with waterproof canvas, made 
the body of the car impervious to rain. 

The two rudders at the rear of the body 
resembled in all ways the steering devices of 
the best modern air vehicles. A difference was 
found at once, however, in the fact that the 
rudders were heavily waterproofed and in that 
the steering wires passed the pilot’s cockpit 
through the protected body of the car. There 
was nothing new in either the big single propel- 
ler fixed to the front of the body, nor in the 
Gnome engine that afforded motive power. 

i ‘ We didn’t make the engine,” explained 
Norman. “ It represents all the money Moul- 
ton and I have ever saved, some we haven’t 
saved but expect to save, and all that we could 
borrow of our fathers. It’s eighty horse power, 
came all the way from France, and if anything 
happens to it, we’re bankrupt for life.” 

The stranger smiled with a curious sparkle 
in his eyes, rubbed his chin, and without direct 
answer, remarked : 

“It doesn’t seem an ordinary machine — 
looks more substantial than most of ’em.” 

Roy had secured a box, and placing it along- 
side the car he motioned their guest to mount. 
u There is a difference,” he began at once 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


39 


with new enthusiasm. “ This machine is made 
for wind and weather. If any airship can make 
its way through blizzards, the Gitchie Manitou 
can. If it doesn’t, it’s a rank failure.” 

The guest gave a look at each boy, as if this 
was what he suspected. 

‘ 4 Look ! ’ ’ went on Roy. Springing into the 
cockpit, the two boys caught the sides of the 
cockpit framework and in a moment had drawn 
above their heads four light but strong frames 
of wood. When these met above their heads, 
they formed a curved and tightly-jointed can- 
opy. The four frames were filled with small 
panes of glasslike mica. Within the canopy the 
inmates were as well protected from the ele- 
ments as if they had been under a roof. 

While the stranger’s face flushed and his 
eyes grew wider, the boys unsnapped the frames 
and they fell back into place, disappearing 
within the sides of the cockpit. 

“ That isn’t all,” exclaimed Norman, and he 
pointed to two small, dark, metal boxes just in 
the rear of the two seats. “ Look,” he went 
on, as he also pointed to a small dynamo 
mounted just in the rear of the circular engine. 
“ As long as the car’s moving, these two little 
car heaters will not only keep us from getting 


40 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

frost bites but, in a pinch, we can cook on ’em.” 

“ And here,” added Roy, as he tapped a 
chestlike object on which the seats were 
mounted, “ is where we get the stuff to do the 
trick. We can put gas enough in there to 
carry us three hundred miles. Back here,” he 
went on, pointing to a nest of skeleton shelves 
adjoining the. rear of the cockpit, “ we can 
carry extra supplies of oil, gas, and food to 
carry us five hundred miles, if we ever get that 
far from home.” 

In what was little less than complete enthu- 
siasm, the curious guest sprang speechless from 
the box, and took a few quick steps as if to 
arrange his thoughts. 

“ Don’t think that’s all,” exclaimed the 
hardly less enthusiastic Norman as he vaulted 
from the novel pilot-cage. “ I guess you see 
what we’re driving at and why we called our 
machine Gitchie Manitou . You know that’s 
Cree for — ” 

“ I know,” broke in the stranger; “ Injun 
for ‘ Storm God ’ ! ” 

“ I thought it was ‘ God of the Winds, ’ ” ex- 
claimed Roy. “ But names don’t count. If 
they did, we should have called it ‘ The Snow 
King,’ because that’s where it ought to shine. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 41 

See these landing wheels? ” he urged. “ Well, 
they’re only put on for use around here. If 
this machine ever gets where it belongs it’s 
going to have runners like a sled, where these 
wheels are. And I’ve got a theory that these 
are all it needs to make a trip where dogs and 
sleds can’t travel.” 

The two boys, eager to continue their half- 
told description, paused for a moment. The 
stranger, his hat in his hand, seemed to be 
drinking in the story he had just heard, with 
an interest so profound that the puzzled boys 
could not grasp it. 

“ Young men,” said the man at last, “ I’m 
mighty glad to hear all this. I wish you’d let 
me do some talking myself for a few moments. 
Will you let me tell you something about my- 
self? It won’t take long. I hope,” and he 
motioned the two boys to the seats on the box, 
‘ 1 when I ’m through, it will interest you . 9 9 That 
it did, the next chapter will amply prove. 


CHAPTER III 


COLONEL HOWELL MAKES A NOVEL PROPOSAL 

4 4 My name is Howell, ’ ’ began the man ; 4 4 Hill 
Howell, ’ ’ he went on , 4 4 and in the places where 
I’m best known I’m frequently called 4 Colonel ’ 
Howell, but I don’t get that title because I am 
a native Kentuckian. I secured it up in this 
part of the world — just why, I don’t know. 
I’m not going to tell you the story of my life 
or of any remarkable adventures, because I’m 
only a plain business man. But I’ll have to 
repeat to you some account of my experience in 
the Northwest before you understand why I’m 
so interested in your machine and in you young 
men. 

44 In Kentucky,” resumed Colonel Howell, 
after he had helped himself to a cigar from his 
vest pocket, 44 we once thought we had oil. To 
prove how little we had, I spent my own small 
means and, while I got no oil to speak of, I got 
a considerable knowledge of this industry. This 
came just in time for me to make my way to 
Kansas. That was fifteen years ago. There 
42 


On the Edge of the Arctic 43 

I found not only oil but considerable return for 
my labors. It didn’t make me a rich man, but 
it gave me all the money I needed. 

“ Then I discovered that I had considerable 
of the spirit of adventure in me and I started 
for the Klondike. Like many another mistaken 
prospector, I determined to go overland and 
down the Mackenzie River. With a small party 
I started down the Athabasca River from Atha- 
basca Landing. I would probably have gone on 
and died in the wilderness, as most adventurers 
did who took this route, but when we had 
gone three hundred miles down the river and 
were just below the Big Rapids, at a place they 
call Fort McMurray, I caught the odor of oil 
again and the Klondike fever disappeared. 

“ When I saw the tar sands and the plain 
signs of oil in the Fort McMurray region, I sep- 
arated from the party and stopped in the new 
oil region. There were a few prospectors in 
the vicinity and having got the oil mania again, 
I found I was not prepared to make more than 
a preliminary prospect. My former compan- 
ions had consented to leave me but few pro- 
visions. I had to live practically alone and 
without adequate provisions or turn back 
towards civilization at once. 


44 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

66 To the others in the field I discredited the 
possibilities of the region and set out on foot, 
with a single Indian as a guide, to make my 
way to Athabasca Landing. Here I planned 
to secure food and proper tools and machinery 
to return to Fort McMurray and develop what 
I believed would be a sensational sub-arctic 
oil region.” 

“ I’ve heard about it,” broke in Norman. 
“ You pass Lac la Biche going there, don’t 
you? ” 

Colonel Howell nodded and proceeded: “ It 
was impossible to return to Athabasca Landing 
by canoe, as the river is too swift. For that 
reason I made a thirty-day trip on foot and 
reached the Landing with the winter well ad- 
vanced. 

“ Here I found I could not get what machin- 
ery I needed and I put off my project until the 
next season when the ice had gone out of the 
river. I returned to the States and in the fol- 
lowing July I went back to the Landing ready 
to go down the river once more. I took with 
me, from Chicago and Edmonton, well-boring 
machinery and ample provisions for a year’s 
stay in the wilderness. At Athabasca Landing 
I found it impossible to buy proper boats and I 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


45 


lost considerable time in making two large flat- 
boats patterned after the Hudson’s Bay Com- 
pany’s batteaux.” 

44 4 Sturgeon heads,’ ” exclaimed Boy. 4 4 I’ve 
always wanted to see one of them.” 

44 That’s what they call ’em,” exclaimed the 
colonel. 44 I guess I don’t need to describe 
them to you. Well, when they were completed, 
I loaded my machinery, quite a batch of lumber, 
and my flour and pork — I freighted all of this 
one hundred miles from Edmonton — and with 
three workmen, set out down the river with an 
Indian crew and a couple of old-time steers- 
men.” 

44 Who were they? ” broke in Boy, with ap- 
parently uncalled-for eagerness. 

44 The best on the river,” answered the colo- 
nel. 44 Old Moosetooth Martin and Bill La 
Biche.” 

44 Why, they’re here on the ground! ” almost 
shouted Boy. 

44 Yes,” exclaimed Colonel Howell. 44 Do 
you know them? I’m on my way back to the 
Landing now. They’re going with me again.” 

Boy’s mouth was open, as if this was a state- 
ment not to be lightly passed over, but Norman 
stopped him with an impatient: 44 Go on, 
please.” 


46 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ I’ll tell you about them later,” the colonel 
added, as if to appease Roy. “ They’re both 
fine old Indians and I’ve been with them a good 
bit to-day. But even the best of them have 
their faults. You know, at the Grand Rapids 
these flatboats ought to be unloaded. Even 
then the best steersman is bound to lose a boat 
now and then on the rocks. Both Moosetooth 
and La Biche cautioned me against running the 
Rapids loaded, but as it would take a week to 
portage around the Rapids, I took a chance. 
Moosetooth got through all right, but La Biche 

— and I reckon he ’s the better man of the two 

— at least I had him on the more valuable 
boat — managed to find a rock and we were 
in luck to reach the bank alive. 

“ All my iron tubing and drilling machinery 
disappeared in the Rapids. There was no way 
to recover it and we went to Fort McMurray in 
the other boat. It carried my lumber and most 
of the provisions, but I couldn’t work without 
tools. There was nothing to do but make the 
best of it and I left my three men to build a 
cabin and spend the winter in the wilderness 
while I went back on foot again to the Landing 
to buy a new outfit.” 

“ Gee, that was tough,” commented Norman. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 47 

“ You boys have lived in the Northwest long 
enough to have learned the great lesson of this 
country/ ’ explained Colonel Howell. “ This 
is a region where you can’t have a program and 
where, if you can’t do a thing to-day, you can 
do it some other time. And, after all, it isn’t 
a bad philosophy, just so long as you keep at it 
and do it sometime. They seem to do things 
slowly sometimes up in this wilderness land, 
but they always seem to do them in the end. 
I guess it’s the Indian way. I notice they al- 
ways drive ahead until they get there, although 
there may be a good many stops on the way.” 

“ Then what? ” persisted Roy. 

“ I had to come back to the States — that was 
the end of last season,” continued the man, 
“ and now I’m on my way again to reach the 
Athabasca. My outfit is in Edmonton, I hope. 
But this year I’ll have a little less trouble. 
There’s a railroad now between Edmonton and 
Athabasca Landing and I expect to get my 
equipment and my stores to the river in freight 
cars. I’ve been detained by other business and 
should have been in Fort McMurray by this 
time, as the ice goes out of the river late in 
May. And I have my boats this year that 
I bought before I left the Landing. 


48 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ But when I tried to arrange for my old 
steersmen to pilot me down the river again, I 
found that energetic Calgary had beaten me to 
it. Moosetooth and La Biche are not the best 
boatmen on the Athabasca, but they are the 
ones I want. And I’m here, waiting for the 
show to close. They will go with me, and I 
suppose their families as well,” added Colonel 
Howell with a grimace, ‘ ‘ directly to Athabasca 
Landing, and in a week from now there is no 
reason why we should not be drifting down the 
big river again.” 

“ Then your trouble’ll begin again, won’t 
it? ” asked Norman. 

Instead of answering, Colonel Howell sat in 
silence a few moments. 

“ There’s a good deal I might say about the 
country I’m going into,” he continued at last, 
“ but I think you young men understand it 
pretty well.” 

“ Pretty well up into the Barren Lands, isn’t 
it? ” asked Roy. 

“ The last of the wilderness before you reach 
the treeless plains,” explained the colonel, “ but 
as far as Fort McMurray the region is a vast 
trail-less extent of poplar and spruce. The 
winter comes in November and lasts until June. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


49 


In that period, when the nights grow long, you 
have a pretty good imitation of the Arctic. 
There are Indians here and there and game 
abounds, but the white man passes only now and 
then. The dog and sled are yet the winter 
means of transportation and here you may find 
the last of the trappers that have made history 
in the great Northwest. 

“ Some of this region will undoubtedly in 
time provide farms, but as yet no farmer has 
learned how to use the rich black soil of its river 
lands in the short summer seasons. In time, 
powerful steamers will navigate the Athabasca 
and also, in time, there will be railroads. When 
they come,” the speaker went on with a chuckle, 
“ I hope to be able to supply them with oil. 
This at least is why, for the third time, I’m 
making my way into that little-known country .’ 9 

“ I hope you don’t get dumped again,” sug- 
gested Norman. 

“ How genuinely do you hope that? ” asked 
Colonel Howell instantly and with renewed 
animation. 

“ Why, I just hope it,” answered Norman, 
somewhat perplexed. 

Colonel Howell hesitated a moment and then 
said abruptly: “ You two boys are the best 


50 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

guarantee I could have against another acci- 
dent. I want you to help me make a success of 
this thing. I’ve an idea and I got it the moment 
I saw your aeroplane to-day. Come with me 
into the wilderness. ’ 9 

“ Us? ” exclaimed both boys together. 

“ Why not? ” hastily went on the oil man. 
“ Don’t you see what I’ve been driving at? 
Don’t you recall the two long trails I made back 
to civilization — a month each time ? Think of 
this: When I leave Athabasca Landing, the 
only way by which I can communicate with the 
world behind me is by courier, on foot; from 
Fort McMurray this means a tramp of four 
weeks for me, and even to a skilled Indian it 
means three hundred miles through the poplar 
forest.” 

‘ i And what could we do ? ” asked the breath- 
less Boy. 

“ If what you tell me about your airship is 
true, you can make almost daily trips for mail. 
At least, it would be as easy for me to keep in 
touch with civilization as if I had a railroad 
train at my disposal,” declared Colonel Howell 
springing to his feet. 

“ But we couldn’t do that,” began Norman. 
“ Our fathers — ” 



“I've an Idea and I Got it the Minute I Saw Your Aero- 
plane To-day. ” 







- 


































































On the Edge of the Arctic 53 

“ What’s the nse of all the energy you have 
expended on this machine! ” demanded the man 
earnestly. ‘ ‘ Is it a dream or do you believe 
what you have told me! I’m not a millionaire, 
but I’m sure I could make your services to me 
worth while. At least you don’t need to hesi- 
tate on that score. I think you can do all you 
have said this machine can do. Anyway, I’ll 
pay you well for making the attempt, and I’ll 
undertake to get the consent of your fathers. 
Of course you can’t go without that. Would 
you be willing to go if I can arrange this! ” 

“You bet your life! ” announced Roy in- 
stantly. 

“ It’s a pretty serious thing,” began Norman, 
“ and dangerous too — ” 

“ Oh,” broke in Colonel Howell, “ then you’d 
rather have some one else try out your glass 
cage and electric stoves.” 

“ But it’s a long way from home,” went on 
Norman, growing red in the face. 

“ No farther for you than for me,” explained 
the colonel, still laughing. “ And we’ll all go to 
Fort McMurray on the flatboats. If you can’t 
fly back you can at least do what I have done 
twice — walk.” 


54 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ And Moosetooth and La Biche are going 
to run the boats? ” asked Norman. 

“ They certainly are,” answered Colonel 
Howell, “ and if you’re interested in those 
things, there’ll be plenty of moose and bear and 
deer standin’ on the river banks waiting for a 
shot.” 

Norman looked at Roy, who was almost a 
picture of di-sgust, and then, in self-defense, he 
said: “ I’d like to go if the folks consent. As 
for that car, it’ll do everything we’ve said and 
don’t you forget that.” 

Colonel Howell, apparently taking this as a 
surrender, caught the two boys by their shoul- 
ders and exclaimed: 

“ It’s gettin’ late. Lock up your shop and 
let’s go and see what your fathers think of my 
project.” 

Elated and nervous, the boys turned and, as 
if under a hypnotic spell, began to push the car 
into the aerodrome. And once inside the little 
building, with set lips, as if working his courage 
up to that point, Norman broke the silence by 
saying: “ I was going to make my first trip to 
the States this winter.” 

1 1 Next summer would be a better time. Why 
don’t you go in style? ” asked Colonel Howell. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 55 

“ We’ll come out in the spring and we ought to 
have a comfortable enough home during the 
bad weather. You can’t spend your money and 
when you get back home you can make your 
trip and go all over the States.” 

Both boys looked at him as if not knowing 
what to say next. 

‘ ‘ I never hired any aviators, ’ ’ went on Colo- 
nel Howell, with his old smile coming back, 
“ and I don’t know the union price of aerial 
operators, but I’ll give you your board and keep 
and three hundred dollars a month apiece while 
you’re with me. How does that strike you? ” 

“ I don’t think we’ll be worth it,” were the 
only words that Roy could find to express his 
dazed feelings. 

“ But you don’t know anything about that,” 
said Colonel Howell promptly. “ You might 
easily be worth a great deal more.” 

While the colonel spoke, he could not help 
noticing Norman’s rapid calculation on the ends 
of his fingers. 

“ In April, that would be nine months,” re- 
marked Norman at last, 4 4 and that’s twenty- 
seven hundred dollars. We could go to France 
on that, Roy, ’ ’ he added suddenly. ‘ 1 Let ’s lock 
up and go home.” 


56 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

In a few moments the excited aviators and 
the well-satisfied Colonel Howell emerged from 
the aerodrome just as young Count Zept ran 
up. 

“ Are you fellows going to stay here all 
night? ” he exclaimed, almost out of breath. 
‘ ‘ I thought you told me you ’d meet me at seven 
o’clock at the car. Father’s been there for a 
half hour. We’re waiting to take you home.” 

It was necessary at once to introduce Colonel 
Howell to young Zept. As the oil man heard 
the name, his face brightened anew. 

“ You’re not the son of Jack Zept, are you? ” 
the colonel asked as he grasped the young man ’s 
hand. 

i 1 John C. Zept is my father’s name,” an- 
swered the Count. “ He’s a horse ranchman. 
Do you know him? ” 

The colonel chuckled. “ Of course,” he an- 
swered hastily. “ I met him on the upper 
Peace ; shot sheep with him in ’95. Forgot he 
lived here. If I can join you, I’d like to meet 
your father. You can put me down at the King 
George. I think,” the smiling colonel added, 
turning to Norman and Roy, “ that you boys 
had better go home, talk it over with your 


On the Edge of the Arctic 57 

fathers, and I’ll look yon up a little later in the 
evening. ’ ’ 

“ Anywhere you like,” exclaimed the young 
Count, “ the machine’s waiting. Father’ll be 
glad to see an old friend.” 


CHAPTER IV 


COLONEL HOWELL DISCOVERS AN OLD FRIEND IN 
JACK ZEPT 

Although it was well after seven o’clock, it 
was wholly light, for in Calgary in July dusk 
does not come until after ten o’clock. While 
Norman looked at his watch to confirm the 
delay, Colonel Howell remarked: 

44 It seems good to get back to long hours 
again. When we get up to Fort McMurray,” 
and he chuckled , 4 4 you boys can read your news- 
papers, if you can find any, out of doors after 
eleven o’clock.” 

44 Fort McMurray? ” broke in young Zept. 
44 Where’s that? ” 

44 Way up in the wilderness,” responded 
Norman, laughing. 44 Looks as if we’re going 
to beat you into the northland.” 

Instantly the young Count caught Norman by 
the arm and stopped him. 

44 What are you talking about? ” he de- 
manded, his face a study in acute interest and 
surprise. 


58 


On the Edge of the Arctic 59 

i 6 Tell you later, ’ ’ answered Norman. * ‘ Your 
father’s waiting.” 

Far from satisfied, the exuberant young Aus- 
trian followed the others to Mr. Zept’s waiting 
car. He was not in error as to his father’s 
annoyance. The old ranchman, a heavy cigar 
buried in the corner of his mouth, watched the 
approach of the party with a scowl. The mo- 
ment he saw Colonel Howell, however, this ex- 
pression politely changed. The ranchman did 
not at once recognize his old shooting friend but 
without waiting for an introduction he sprang 
with agility from his handsome motor. 

It required but a word, however, for him to 
place the stranger and then the delay was for- 
gotten. The joviality of the veteran horse 
raiser took the place of his petulance and, ignor- 
ing the young men, the old friends stood arm in 
arm for ten minutes recounting the past. The 
result was inevitable. After Colonel Howell 
had been catechised as to his present location 
and plans, he could not refuse an invitation to 
pass the remainder of his short stay in Calgary 
at the Zept home. 

When the two men at last took the rear seat 
in the car, Norman and Eoy in front of them, 
and Paul seated alongside the chauffeur, orders 
were given to drive to the King George. 


60 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Avoiding the traffic streets and trolley lines, 
the big car was turned south through the subur- 
ban hills. In the meantime, Paul had lost no 
opportunity to probe into the mystery of Nor- 
man's remark. In return, Norman had rapidly 
sketched an outline of Colonel Howell's propo- 
sition and of the present situation. Norman's 
rapid words seemed at first to have rather a 
depressing effect on young Zept, and then, when 
the whole idea had been put before him, his 
usual animation rose to what was almost ex- 
citement. 

No sooner had the motor found its way into 
the broad suburban streets, than Paul almost 
sprang over the seat back and in a moment had 
located himself between his father and Colonel 
Howell on the rear seat. 

“ Father," he began impulsively, interrupt- 
ing some old-time talk, “ do you know that Mr. 
Grant and Mr. Moulton are going to Fort Mc- 
Murray with Colonel Howell! " 

These business details had not reached Mr. 
Zept, as he and his guest had not yet exhausted 
their old-time hunting experiences. The result 
was that Colonel Howell at once related what 
had taken place that afternoon, to all of which 
Mr. Zept gave earnest attention. Colonel 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


61 


Howell concluded by telling how he was to see 
the fathers of the boys that evening in an effort 
to consummate his deal. 

“ What do you think about it? ” asked Colo- 
nel Howell with his usual smile, and looking 
at Mr. Zept. 

The latter paused, as if in grave doubt. 

“ That’s a hard question to answer,” he said 
at last. * 6 These young fellows ought to an- 
swer it best themselves. Their airship has 
given a pretty good account of itself. I did not 
understand that it was more than the ordinary 
flying machine, but if it is and they feel sure 
that it can do what they say it will, it seems to 
me that the whole thing is pretty much a busi- 
ness proposition. You’ve made a fine proposi- 
tion to the young men, financially. If it wasn’t 
for that, if you want me to speak frankly, I 
wouldn’t approve their going into that part of 
the world simple as prospectors.” 

1 ‘ It’d be great! ” broke in his son. 

“ From your point of view, yes,” answered 
his father, affectionately dropping his hand 
upon Paul’s knee, “ but you know, my boy, that 
you have a lot of impractical ideas about this 
corner of the world.” 

“ I want to go too,” persisted the young man, 


62 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


who in his eagerness seemed to have given little 
heed to his father’s words. “ Can’t I go with 
you? ” he went on, turning to Colonel Howell. 

The latter looked somewhat perturbed. He 
had no answer ready just then and he needed 
none. 

‘ 4 You ’re taking men with you, ’ ’ went on Paul 
as he slid to the edge of the seat. “ I’ll go and 
work for you for nothing. You’ve got to have 
men on the river and I know I’m as good as 
any Indian, except Moosetooth of course.” 
Everyone smiled except Mr. Zept. “ And I 
know there are a lot of things that I could do 
in camp. I wouldn’t be any good about the air- 
ship, I know, but I can shoot and I know I can 
stand anything that anyone else can. I — ” 

“ Young man,” broke in Mr. Zept at last, 
4 4 these gentlemen are going north on business. 
Colonel Howell is not heading a pleasure excur- 
sion and I doubt if he has any intention of 
making an asylum for amateur woodsmen. Let 
me tell you something: you’ve got to get on in 
the world and you only do that, as far as I’ve 
noticed, by having a purpose that has some re- 
ward at the end of it. Colonel Howell and these 
young men have a purpose and they’ll probably 
profit by it. Playing Indian or wandering 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


63 


around on the Barren Lands shooting moose 
may be romantic enough and may be all you 
want in life, but it doesn’t bring success as I 
count it.” 

* 1 Your father ’s right, young man, ’ ’ suggested 
Colonel Howell ; “ success in life to-day is meas- 
ured by money. If you want to succeed that 
way, stay where the money is to be found. I 
can prove it,” he said, forcing a laugh. “ Look 
at me. What little money I have, I’m dump- 
ing into the northern rivers. Then look at your 
father. He knew the same wilderness you’re 
trying to break into, but he only goes there for 
pleasure. He had an idea and he came here and 
put it over. I don’t know what it brought him, 
and maybe you don’t. But I reckon you can 
easily find out by going through a list of bank 
directors in this town. ’ ’ 

“ He’s a millionaire anyway,” Roy ex- 
claimed with some lack of diplomacy. 

Mr. Zept did not seem conscious of this re- 
mark, for he sat very stern and hard of face. 

“ When the time comes, my boy, I will take 
you into this region that you are so full of. J ust 
now, I have other plans for you. We’ll talk 
these over later.” Then, as if dismissing the 
entire matter, Mr. Zept began to point out to 


64 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Colonel Howell the improvements of the city 
while the big machine sped toward the hotel. 

Paul, with a sullen look on his face, settled 
back among the cushions, and Norman and Roy, 
awed by the decisive tones of the rich man, 
made no attempt at conversation. 

Reaching the hotel, Colonel Howell alighted 
to prepare his luggage and see to telegrams and 
mail. Mr. Zept stopped with him while Paul 
took the young aviators to their homes. A 
short time later the motor picked up Mr. Zept 
and his guest and earned them to the Zept 
home. 

Despite his general knowledge of his old 
friend’s wealth, Colonel Howell was surprised 
at the sight of his host’s home. This, less than 
a half a dozen squares from the hotel, occupied 
a city block and was a mansion resembling a 
French chateau, built of the yellow stone of 
the country. In addition to an attractive fence 
of stone and iron, the extensive yard was sur- 
rounded on all sides by a wind-break hedge of 
tall and uniform swamp cedars. 

When the car dashed up the asphalt drive, 
Colonel Howell only turned toward his host 
and smiled. But while his elders alighted, 
under the porte cochere, Paul did not smile. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 65 

Waiting for his father and their guest to dis- 
appear into the magnificent home, he sprang 
into the motor again and said to the chauff eur : 
“ Drive to the King George Hotel.” 

At dinner that evening there was a message 
from young Paul, excusing himself on the 
ground of an engagement. When Mr. Zept 
heard this, he excused himself to telephone to 
the garage. When he rejoined his guest, his 
face was again stern and hard, for he knew 
what his son ’s engagement meant. 

Dinner over, the ranchman and Colonel How- 
ell made their excuses to Mrs. Zept and to 
Paul’s young sister and retired to the library. 
Here Mr. Zept used no ceremony and at once 
confided to his old friend the greatest trouble of 
his life. He told how he had brought his son 
home from Paris because of his wayward ways 
and how he had found these even more pro- 
nounced than he feared. 

“ He isn’t a bad hoy,” explained his father, 
“ and the only trouble he has I think I can cor- 
rect by home influence.” He even explained 
where his son was at that moment and did not 
attempt to conceal his mortification. “ It isn’t 
in the blood,” he went on, “ but it’s Paris and 
the opportunity he had there.” 


66 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Colonel Howell had been deeply moved by his 
friend’s talk, and when the latter used the word 
“ opportunity,” his sober face suddenly lit up. 

“ That’s it,” he exclaimed, “ you’ve hit it. 
I think I can read the boy like a book. 1 Oppor- 
tunity 9 to go wrong is what did it. I’ve an 
idea. Cut out this ‘ opportunity ’ and I think 
you’ve solved the question.” 

“ That’s what I want to do,” replied Mr. 
Zept, with a sigh, “ and I’ve been trying to 
make his home take the place of the saloons, 
but,” and he shook his head, “ you see where 
he is now. ’ ’ 

“ All right,” exclaimed Colonel Howell. 
“ That doesn’t need to discourage you. I 
think we’ll have to send him where there isn’t 
any Paris and where there aren’t any cafes.” 

“ What do you mean? ” broke in the dis- 
turbed father. 

“ I mean up to Fort McMurray, where they’ll 
put a man in jail if they find a drink of whisky 
on his person.” 

Mr. Zept sat upright and darted a look at 
his old friend. 

“ That’s right,” went on Colonel Howell. 

4 4 When you leave Athabasca Landing, the fel- 
low who tells you good-bye is a mounted police- 


On the Edge of the Arctic 67 

man, and he doesn’t shake hands with you 
either. If you’ve got a drop of whisky with 
you, you’ve got to have it inside of you. If you 
try to take whisky into that country, you’ve 
got to be smarter than the smartest policemen 
in the world. The ‘ opportunity ’ is gone. And 
there’s another thing,” went on the aroused 
colonel. * 4 If your boy thinks he ’s been robbed 
of something, when he finds he hasn’t anything 
to drink, you can see yourself that he’ll have 
plenty of other things to interest him.” 

The agitated ranchman sprang to his feet and 
took a quick turn around the room. 

“ Howell! ” he exclaimed at last, as he re- 
turned and placed a hand on his friend’s 
shoulder, “ this upsets every plan I have.” 

“ Maybe they ought to be upset,” rejoined 
the oil man. 

“ You’re right,” answered his friend thickly. 
“ It’s all pretty sudden and it’s all a kind of 
a blow to me, but you’re right. What can I 
do? ” 

“ Easy enough,” responded the other as he 
relit his cigar; “ he wants to go with me. Let 
him have his way. I We never been called upon 
to attempt anything in the reform line and I 
don’t think I will be now. Let your son join 


68 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

us and I think that’ll be the end of what is 
causing you a good deal of misery. It isn’t 
a case of curing him of the whisky habit. I 
believe he’ll simply forget it.” 

“ Will you take him? ” suddenly asked Mr. 
Zept, his face a little white. 

“ Sure! ” exclaimed Colonel Howell. “ Call 
it settled and get this terrible fear off your 
mind. Paul’s all right and I’ll bet when you 
see him again he’ll give an account of himself 
that’ll make you proud.” 

But the boy’s father was not so easily as- 
sured. “ Howell,” he said in a nervous tone, 
“ you’ve done something for me this evening 
that I don’t think I’ll ever forget. I don’t 
often talk about money, but I’m a rich man. 
From what you’ve told me, I can see you’re yet 
working pretty hard. You may have plenty of 
money but no matter as to that. I know it 
takes a lot of money to do what you’re doing. 
I’m not doing this to show my appreciation of 
what you’re willing to do for me, but it looks 
as if you’re the only real friend I have in the 
world. Let me put some money into this ven- 
ture with you — I don’t care how much — but 
I’ve an interest in your project now — ” 

The Kentuckian was on his feet in a moment. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 69 

“ Jack,” he began without any show of resent- 
ment, “ I’ve got all the money I’ll ever need 
in this world. It’s fine of you to say what you 
have, but now I’m going to make you a new 
proposition. I’m willing to take your boy and 
treat him as my own son but I’ll have to put 
one condition on it.” 

The ranchman only looked his surprise. A 
wave of his hand indicated that any condition 
would be met. 

“ I want him to go with me but I’ll only take 
him as my guest. ’ ’ 

“ Hill,” said Mr. Zept, after looking his 
friend directly in the eye, “ I knew from the 
moment we first made camp together up on the 
Peace, that you were the real stuff. I haven’t 
any way to thank you. ” 

“ Let’s compromise on another of those 
cigars,” laughed Colonel Howell, “ and then, 
if it is agreeable to you, and I can have the use 
of your car for a short time, I have some busi- 
ness of my own.” 

After a few moments with his hostess, Colonel 
Howell departed in the motor. As soon as he 
was out of his host’s hearing, he ordered the 
driver to take him to the King George Hotel. 
Still puffing his new cigar, the oil man entered 


70 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

the hotel and made a quick examination of the 
bar room. The person he was looking for was 
apparently not in sight. Nodding his head to 
an occasional acquaintance, Colonel Howell 
made his way downstairs to the fashionable 
cafe. 

He did not obtrude himself, but called the 
head waiter and after a question, took out his 
card and scribbled a line on it. A few moments 
later, in the lobby of the hotel, he was joined by* 
young Count Zept, who explained that he had 
been dining with a few friends. Colonel Howell 
motioned him to a seat and gave no sign of 
noticing the boy’s flushed face and somewhat 
thick speech. 

He had spoken hardly a dozen words to the 
excited young man, when the latter seemed to 
throw off his condition as if it had been a cloak. 
He even discarded the cigarette he was smok- 
ing. Then the colonel resumed his talk with 
the young man and for several minutes spoke 
very earnestly in low tones. 

As he concluded, the young man sat sober 
and tense. 

“ Colonel Howell/ ’ he said, “ I’ll do it. I 
understand everything. You have given me the 
greatest chance of my life. ,, 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


71 


“ Then,” came the cheery and quick re- 
joinder of the Kentuckian, relighting his cigar, 
as he appeared to be always doing under any 
stress, “ we’ll begin right away. This is a 
business proposition and we’re all business 
people. We haven’t any time to lose. I want 
you to go home and begin to pack your kit. The 
machine is outside. I think your father would 
like to talk to you. ’ ’ 

“ I’m ready now,” came the quick response. 
A moment later the Zept motor was on its way 
home. 


CHAPTER Y 


NEGOTIATING AND OUTFITTING 

It had been an eventful day for the millionaire 
ranchman and his son Paul, as well as for Nor- 
man Grant and Roy Moulton, to whom it had 
opened up possibilities that they could scarcely 
yet realize. It was now Colonel Howell ’s mis- 
sion further to enact the role of a magician and 
to see if the plans he had outlined were to bear 
fruit for the young aviators. 

“ We’ll be waiting to hear,” announced the 
young Count, as he alighted and gave the chauf- 
feur directions for finding the Grant and Moul- 
ton homes, “ and I want to know the news 
to-night. ’ ’ 

44 I’ll be disappointed if it isn’t good news,” 
responded the Kentuckian , 44 but don’t you wor- 
ry about that. We’re going anyway. You see 
your father right away and he’ll begin to plan 
your outfit. We’re going to leave, the airship 
with us I hope, at three o’clock Monday after- 
noon.” 

It was half past nine when the oil prospector 
73 


On the Edge of the Arctic 73 

reached the Grant home. The evening there 
had been one resembling preparations for a 
funeral. Colonel Howell ’s offer had fallen on 
the Grant family with no sign of joy in anyone 
except the son. Dazed by the dangers which, to 
Norman’s family, overshadowed all possible ad- 
vantages, small time was lost in calling Mr. and 
Mrs. Moulton into the conference. After the 
arrival of the latter, it had been a debate be- 
tween the two boys, their parents, and several 
sisters, with no apparent possibility of reach- 
ing a decision. 

Even the appearance of Colonel Howell did 
not seem to help matters very much, but the 
formalities having worn off and the prospector 
having been invited to give his version of his 
own plans, the possibilities began to brighten 
for the young men. In the process of argument, 
even the somewhat hesitating Norman had 
talked himself into a wild eagerness to be al- 
lowed to go. 

Roy was so impatient that he stuttered. The 
different effect of Colonel Howell’s explanation 
was undoubtedly due to the fact that he em- 
phasized the great possibilities of the business 
part of the trip. Roy had sought to win favor 
by expatiating on the ease with which the 


74 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Gitcliie Manitou was to overcome the perils and 
privations of the almost Arctic region. 

Norman had also grown hoarse in demon- 
strating the entire safety of their aircraft. But 
their patron seemed to dismiss these arguments 
as matters needing no discussion. Rather, he 
drew a picture of the opportunities to be pre- 
sented to the boys in seeing the new land, of 
what he called the comforts of their snug cabin 
and of the advantages that must come to all 
young men in becoming acquainted with the 
little-known frontiers of their country. He 
said little of the immediate pecuniary reward, 
but said enough to have both fathers under- 
stand just what this was to be. 

Both Mr. Grant and Mr. Moulton had had 
their share of roughing it on the frontier and 
neither seemed to welcome the sending of their 
children against the privations that they had 
endured. 

While the discussion dwindled into inde- 
cision, Colonel Howell, as if in afterthought, re- 
peated in substance his talk with Mr. Zept, 
omitting of course some of the unfortunate de- 
tails, all of which, however, were already well 
known to those present. 

Mr. Zept was the leading citizen of Calgary, 


On the Edge of the Arctic 75 

an influential and important man. He was also 
a character whom most men in that part of the 
country were proud to count as a friend. 
Among those of her own sex, Mrs. Zept occupied 
about the same position. When the flurry of 
questions concerning Mr. Zept’s determination 
to send his son as a member of the party had 
died somewhat, it was perfectly plain that both 
Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Moulton had new thoughts 
on the proposition. 

“ Is he going as a workman? ” asked Roy 
impulsively. 

“ Oh, he’ll do all he’s called upon to do,” 
answered Colonel Howell, taking advantage of 
his opening, “ but I really didn’t need any more 
help. He’s going because his father thought 
it would prove an advantage to him. In fact,” 
continued the colonel, “ Mr. Zept was kind 
enough to want to contribute to our expenses 
because his son was to be with us. But as I 
told my old friend, I was not running an ex- 
cursion, and I have invited the young man to go 
as my guest.” 

‘ 1 And he ’s paying us nearly three thousand 
dollars to do what the Count was willing to pay 
for, ’ ’ exclaimed Norman, as a clincher. i 1 What 
have you got to say to that? ” he added almost 
defiantly, addressing his mother. 


76 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ But he won’t have to go up in a flying 
machine,’ ’ meekly argued Mrs; Grant. 

Norman only shrugged his shoulders in dis- 
gust. “ There won’t be any more danger in 
that,” he expostulated, “ than I’ve been in all 
week.” 

Colonel Howell turned to Mr. Grant, who held 
up his hands in surrender. Then he looked at 
Mr. Moulton. The latter shook his head, but 
the debate seemed to be closed. 

“ I guess they’re able to take care of them- 
selves,” conceded Mr. Grant. 

“ I started out younger,” added Mr. Moul- 
ton. 

“ I’m planning to leave at three o’clock Mon- 
day afternoon,” announced the Kentuckian, 
with his most genial smile, “ and we’ll have a 
car ready for the machine Monday morning.” 

The conference immediately turned into a 
business session to discuss immediate plans and 
the outfit needed by the newly enlisted assist- 
ants. In this the mothers took a leading part, 
seeming to forget every foreboding, and when 
Colonel Howell left, the two families were ap- 
parently as elated as they had been despondent 
on his arrival. 

The next day’s performance at the Stampede 


On the Edge of the Arctic 77 

was more or less perfunctory, so far as the 
young aviators were concerned, and was only 
different from the others in that Roy accom- 
panied Norman in the exhibition flight. 

Colonel Howell, after a day of activity in the 
city, was present when the flight was made. No 
time had been lost by the boys in arranging for 
their departure, and mechanics in Mr. Grant’s 
railroad department had been pressed into ser- 
vice in the construction of three crates — a long 
skeleton box for the truss body of the car, an- 
other, wider and almost as long, to carry the dis- 
mounted planes, and a solidly braced box for the 
engine. The propeller and the rudders were 
to go in the plane crate. These were promised 
Sunday morning, and Norman and Roy took a 
part of Saturday for the selection of their per- 
sonal outfits. Over this there was little delay, 
as the practical young men had no tenderfoot 
illusions to dissipate. 

The kind of a trip they were about to make 
would, to most young men, have called for a 
considerable expenditure. But to the young 
aviators, life in the cabin or the woods was not 
a wholly new story. Overnight they had talked 
of an expensive camera, but when they found 
that young Zept was provided with a machine 


78 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

with a fine lens, they put aside this expenditure, 
and the most expensive item of their purchases 
was a couple of revolvers — automatics. 

Norman already owned a .303 gauge big game 
rifle, but it was heavy and ammunition for it 
added greatly to the weight to be carried in the 
airship. With the complete approval of Colo- 
nel Howell, he bought a new .22 long improved 
rifle, which he figured was all they needed in 
addition to their revolvers. 

“ It’s a great mistake/ ’ explained Colonel 
Howell, who had met the two boys at the outfit- 
ting store just before noon, “ for travelers to 
carry these big game high-powered rifles. The 
gun is always knocked down, is never handy 
when you want it, and the slightest neglect puts 
it out of commission. You take this little high- 
powered .22, put it in a bag, throw a few car- 
tridges in your pocket, and you’ll get small 
game and birds while you’re tryin’ to remember 
where the big gun is.” 

“ That’s right,” answered Eoy. “ Grant 
and I were up in the mountains a year ago, back 
of Laggan. We weren ’t hunting especially, but 
I was carryin’ the old .303. Up there in the 
mountains we walked right up on as fine an old 
gold-headed eagle as you ever saw. I was going 


On the Edge of the Arctic 79 

to shoot, when I recollected that this wasn’t a 
deer four hundred yards away. If I’d shot, 
I ’d have torn a hole through that bird as big as 
your hat. If I’d had this,” and he patted the 
smart looking little .22, “ somebody would have 
had a fine golden-headed eagle. ’ ’ 

Colonel Howell had few suggestions to make, 
but while he was in the store, he selected a small 
leather-cased hatchet and an aluminum wash- 
pan. 

“ Don’t laugh,” he explained. “ Just take 
the word of an old campaigner and keep these 
two things where you can put your hands on 
’em. You can get along in the wilderness with- 
out shootin’ irons — or I can — but you’ll find 
this tin pan a mighty handy friend. If your 
wise friends laugh at your luxury just wait, 
they’ll be the first ones to borrow it. You can 
cook in it, wash in it, drink out of it, and I’ve 
panned for gold with ’em. It’s the traveler’s 
best friend.” 

The outfitter was busy enough displaying his 
wares, of which he had a hundred things that he 
urged were indispensable, but he was not deal- 
ing with States tenderfeet, and the volume of 
his sales was small. In it, however, the boys 
finally included two heavy Mackinaw jackets, 


80 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

two still heavier canvas coats reinforced with 
lambs ’ wool, two cloth caps that could be pulled 
down over the face, leaving apertures for the 
eyes, and two pairs of fur gauntlets, mitten- 
shaped, but with separate fore-fingers for shoot- 
ing. 

The boys made these purchases on their own 
account, and then Colonel Howell asked permis- 
sion to make them a present. He selected and 
gave each of the boys a heavy Hudson’s Bay 
blanket, asking for the best four-point article. 

“ They’ll last as long as you live,” explained 
the oil man, “ and when you don’t need ’em in 
the woods for a house or tent or bed, or even as 
a sail, you’ll find they’ll come in handy at home 
on your couch or as rugs.” 

Each boy had his own blankets at home, but at 
sight of those their new friend gave them their 
eyes snapped. Roy selected a deep cardinal 
one and Grant took for his a vivid green, both 
of which had the characteristic blacn bars. 

“ These look like the real things,” exclaimed 
Roy, with enthusiasm. 

i c An Indian will give you anything he owns 
for one of ’em,” chuckled the colonel. “ The 
tin pan is a luxury, but you’ve got to have these. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 81 

If you learn the art of how to fold and sleep in 
’em, you’ll be pretty well fixed.” 

Colonel Howell did not seem to be worrying 
about his own outfit, and when he left the boys 
his work for the day was probably financial. 

By the middle of Sunday afternoon, the 
Gitchie Manitou had been safely stored in its 
new crates, and then, with a small tool chest 
and a hastily-made box crowded with extra 
parts, had been loaded on a large motor truck 
and forwarded to the railroad yards. The re- 
mainder of the day was utilized by the young 
aviators in compactly packing their personal 
belongings, and in the evening the two young 
men had dinner at the Zept home. The young 
Count, whom they had not seen since the day 
before when he accompanied Colonel Howell at 
the closing exercises of the Stampede, was pres- 
ent and nervously enthusiastic. 

After dinner the three boys went to Paul’s 
room where Grant and Roy were astonished at 
the elaborateness of their friend’s outfit. Paul 
had not confined himself to those articles sug- 
gested by his practical father but had brought 
together an array of articles many of which 
were ridiculously superfluous. 

He had worked so seriously in his selection, 


82 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


however, that it was not a laughing matter. So 
his new friends hesitated to tell him that half 
of his baggage was not necessary. Therefore 
they said nothing until Paul, having proudly 
exhibited his several costumes, his new leather 
cases for carrying his camera, field glasses, re- 
volvers, and two guns, noticed the lack of ap- 
proval on their faces. 

“ Well,” he said, with a smile, “ out with it. 
I couldn’t help getting them, but I know I don’t 
need all this stuff. You fellows know. Throw 
out what I don’t need. I bought a lot of it in 
Paris, but don’t mind that. I’m not going to 
take a thing that I can do without.” 

Greatly relieved, Norman and Roy fell to 
work on the elaborate assortment and in a short 
time had but little more left in the heap than 
one man could carry. 

“ What’s this? ” asked Roy, as they reached 
a soft leather roll about the size of a big pillow, 
carefully strapped. 

“ It’s my blankets,” explained Paul, opening 
the flap and exhibiting two soft fleecy articles. 
“ They’re from London.” 

“ Well,” exclaimed Norman positively, “ you 
give them to your sister for her picnics. Then 
you go down to-morrow morning and get a 


On the Edge of the Arctic 83 

four-point Hudson’s Bay blanket, fourteen feet 
long, pay your twelve dollars for it, get a strap 
to bang it on your back, and I reckon you’ll have 
about all you need.” 

A little later, when PauPs father and Colonel 
Howell visited the room and Paul good- 
naturedly explained what his friends had done, 
Mr. Zept laughed. 

“ I told you all that,” he exclaimed, “ but I 
guess it was like the advice of most fathers. 
These young men know what they’re doing. 
Hill,” he said, turning to his guest, u I guess 
you haven’t made any mistake in signing up 
these kids. There’s a lot they may have to 
find out about the wilderness, but it looks to me 
as if they weren’t going to have very much to 
unlearn. ’ 7 

The next morning was a long one. The bag- 
gage car secured by Colonel Howell for the 
aeroplane crates was soon loaded. Then noth- 
ing remained to be done except, as Colonel 
Howell put it, “ to line up my Injuns.” 

Moosetooth and La Biche were yet in camp 
at the Stampede Grounds. The boys, including 
Count Zept, accompanied Colonel Howell to the 
Grounds about noon. Here the oil prospector 
was able to change his program somewhat, and 
much to his gratification. 


84 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Colonel Howell knew that his old steersmen 
were accompanied by quite a group of relatives 
but he did not know the exact extent of the Mar- 
tin and La Biche families. They were all in 
charge of a man from Athabasca Landing, who 
was of course under contract to return the In- 
dians to that place. Colonel Howell had thought 
it would be necessary to look after the immediate 
relatives of Moosetooth and La Biche, but when 
he found that the women and children belong- 
ing to these men would just as soon return to 
the North with their friends, he was able to 
arrange that the two old river men might pre- 
cede the main party and accompany him alone. 

The Indian makes very little ceremony of hia 
farewells to the members of their families and 
after Colonel Howell had talked a few moments 
with them the dark-skinned boatmen announced 
themselves ready. The matter of luncheon 
seemed to worry neither Moosetooth nor La 
Biche. Each man had an old flour bag, into 
which he indiscriminately dumped a few ban- 
nock, some indistinguishable articles of cloth- 
ing, and relighting their pipes, were ready to 
start for Fort McMurray. 

It was the first ride either Indian had ever 
had in an automobile, but the quick run back 


On the Edge of the Arctic 85 

to the city seemed to make no impression upon 
them. Leaving the taciturn Crees in the bag- 
gage car, well supplied with sandwiches, fruit, 
and a half dozen bottles of ginger ale, the others 
once more headed for the Zept home. In two 
hours the expedition would be off. 


CHAPTER VI 


THE EXPEDITION STRIKES A SNAG IN EDMONTON 

At three o’clock the fast express pulled 
out of the big depot at Calgary on its way to 
Edmonton, then the northern limit of railroad 
transportation on the American Continent. A 
part of the train was the sealed baggage car 
carrying the airship. In the day coach, with 
their bags in their laps, and still stolid of face, 
sat Moosetooth Martin and old La Biche. For 
the moment their pipes reposed in their vest 
pockets. Each was eating an orange. Far in 
the rear of the train, Colonel Howell’s little 
expedition was making itself comfortable in a 
stateroom. Somewhat to the surprise of the 
younger members of the party, Mr. Zept had 
joined them. 

The corners of the stateroom and the near-by 
vestibule of the car were crammed with the per- 
sonal belongings of those headed for Fort 
McMurray. 

Even in the excitement of leaving and the 
86 


On the Edge of the Arctic 87 

farewells to the members of their families and 
friends, neither Norman nor Roy failed to notice 
that the young Count’s face again bore the flush 
that did not come from exertion. Mr. Zept’s 
face also bore the look that the boys had come 
to know, the expression that they could not fail 
to connect with the indiscretions of his son. 

If Colonel Howell saw these things, nothing 
about him indicated it. Having divested him- 
self of his coat, he put himself at once in charge 
of the party, and was full of animation. 

Within a few moments young Zept left the 
stateroom, without protest from his father, and 
the two boys partly lost themselves in a close 
view of the country through which they were 
passing. 

“ Things are changing very fast in this 
region,’ ’ explained Mr. Zept, motioning to the 
irregular hill-dotted country, in which patches 
of vegetation alternated with semi-arid wastes. 
“ See how irrigation is bringing the green into 
this land. Ten years ago, for fifty miles north 
of Calgary, we called this The Plains. It’s all 
changing. It’s all going to be farms, before 
long. You’ll be surprised, however,” he con- 
tinued, addressing the boys. “ Long before 
night we’ll run out of this onto the green prai- 


88 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


ries. Long before we get to Edmonton, we ’ll be 
in some of the best farming land in the world. 
And it goes on and on, more or less, ’ ’ he added 
with a faint smile, “ a good deal farther than 
we know anything about — maybe as far as 
Fort McMurray,” he concluded. 

“ There isn’t any reason why Fort McMurray 
can’t be a Calgary some day,” replied Colonel 
Howell; “ that is, when the railroads start to- 
wards Hudson’s Bay.” 

“ You’ll have to have some land too,” sug- 
gested Mr. Zept. 1 1 If you just had a few good 
prairies and some grass lying loose around 
up there, that’d help.” 

“ How do you know we haven’t? ” answered 
the colonel. 

“ I don’t,” exelaimed Mr. Zept. “If you 
have, just send me word. We might start a 
few horse ranches up there.” 

As the train sped on and all had adjusted 
themselves to the limits of their little room, 
after a time Mr. Zept spoke again: “ I wish 
I had the time to go up there with you,” he 
began, “ but of course, that’s impossible. I’m 
going to see you away from Edmonton in good 
shape. By the way,” he remarked, “ I’ve been 
wondering just how you’re going to find things 


On the Edge of the Arctic 89 

up there, after a year’s absence. You say you 
left three men there. What are they doing? ” 
“ Well,” answered Colonel Howell, “ they’re 
all on the pay roll. One of ’em’s an English- 
man from Edmonton, and two of ’em I brought 
from the gas fields of Kansas. The Kansas 
men have worked for me for several years. ” 

“ Must have had a pretty easy job, with 
nothing to do but punish your provisions all 
winter,” suggested Mr. Zept. 

“ Don’t you think it,” exclaimed his friend. 
1 1 They had plenty of work cut out for them. In 
the first place they had to build a cabin, and 
they had the tools to make a decent one — tar 
paper for a roof too. I don’t care for bark 
shacks. Then I’m taking a boiler and engine 
up this time and we can probably use a lot of 
firewood when we get to drilling. They can 
put in a lot of time cutting dry cordwood.” 

“ They doing any prospecting? ” asked the 
ranchman. 

“ They couldn’t do much except look for 
signs,” answered Colonel Howell. “ And, of 
course, if they have any extra time, the Kansas 
men have been in the business long enough to 
know how to do that. They might save me a 


90 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

lot of work when I get up there, if they’re on 
the job,” concluded Colonel Howell. 

‘ ‘ A good deal like grub-staking a man, isn ’t 
it? ” asked Mr. Zept. 

“Not much,” retorted the oil man with de- 
cision. “ They’re all on my pay roll and 
they’re all working for me. There isn’t any 
halves business in what they find, if they find 
anything. It all belongs to yours truly — or 
will, when I prove up on my claim.” 

“ What are the names of the men? ” asked 
Roy with sudden curiosity. 

“ The Edmonton man I don’t know very 
well,” answered Colonel Howell. “ He is a 
kind of a long range Englishman and I think his 
name is Chandler. The other men are Malcolm 
Ewen and Donald Miller. Ewen and Miller are 
good boys, and I know they’ll give me a square 
deal, whether Chandler sticks or not. ’ ’ 

In spite of the general conversation, Norman 
fancied that Mr. Zept’s annoyance did not grow 
less, and it was not hard to conclude that this 
was due to Paul’s absence. Finally both Nor- 
man and Roy excused themselves to visit the 
observation car. They really wanted to find 
Paul. He was not in the rear car, which fact 
the young men learned after describing their 


On the Edge of the Arctic 91 

companion to the colored porter, who smiled 
significantly when he announced that Paul had 
left the car some time before. 

The young men then went through the train 
and at last found the Count in jovial companion- 
ship with Moosetooth and La Biche. It was 
plain that both the Indians had been drinking, 
but there was no liquor now in sight, and the 
three were enjoying their pipes and their cig- 
arettes. The Count had discovered that the 
Indians knew more French than English, and he 
was in high conversation with them. The boy 
himself was even more jovial when he greeted 
Norman and Roy with hearty slaps on the back. 

For some moments the visitors attempted to 
join in the conversation between the Indians 
and Paul, but the conditions were such that the 
young aviators soon lost interest and they in- 
vited young Zept to return to the stateroom for 
a game of cards. 

“ Not now,” protested the Count, dropping 
into a seat opposite the Indians again. “ My 
friends here are great Frenchmen. They have 
been telling me about the Barren Lands. Be- 
sides,” and he frowned a little, “ I didn’t know 
the governor was coming. I don’t think I ought 
to see him just now. He ain’t much for this 
sort of thing.” 


92 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ What sort of thing? ” asked Norman some- 
what brusquely. 

“ You know,” answered the Count. “ I was 
just telling the boys good-bye. I’ll be all right 
in a little while, and then I’ll come back.” 

“ You aren’t fooling anyone,” broke in the 
quick-tongued Roy, “ and I think Colonel 
Howell wants to see you.” 

Count Zept’s laugh ended and he at once arose 
and followed the young men back to the state- 
room. His reappearance seemed to ease his 
father’s mind, and when the three young men 
and Colonel Howell began a game of auction 
the incident seemed almost forgotten. 

At six o’clock, the superintendent of the din- 
ing car came to announce to Colonel Howell that 
his special table was ready, and the party went 
in to dinner. 

When this elaborate meal was concluded, an 
hour and a half later, the warm afternoon had 
cooled and the train was well into the fertile 
farm land that distinguishes the great agricul- 
tural regions south of Edmonton. Somewhat 
after ten o’clock, the long daylight not yet 
at an end, the journey came to a close in the 
city of Strathcona. They had reached the 
Saskatchewan River. Loading their baggage 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


93 


into two taxicabs, they made a quick trip across 
the river to Edmonton and the King Edward 
Hotel. 

It was with a feeling of happiness that Nor- 
man and Roy found themselves on what is now 
almost the frontier of civilization. Their joy 
did not lie in the fact that hereabouts might be 
found traces of the old life, but that they were 
at last well on their way toward their great 
adventure. 

Rooms were at once secured and Mr. Zept and 
Paul immediately retired. Norman and Roy 
lingered a while to learn from Colonel Howell 
the next step. 

“ The crates will come across the river early 
to-morrow morning/ ’ he explained, “ and we’ll 
catch the Tuesday train at eight thirty for 
Athabasca Landing. We’ll be there to-morrow 
evening. Turn in and get a good night ’s sleep . 9 9 

It was no trouble for the boys to do this, and 
at seven o’clock the next morning they were 
waiting for their friend and patron in the office. 
When he appeared he was in company with Mr. 
Zept and Paul, having apparently just aroused 
them. 

“ Well, boys,” he began, using his perpetual 
smile, “ we’ve struck a little snag. But remem- 


94 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

ber the philosophy of the country — what you 
can’t do to-day, do when you can. It’s the 
train! ” 

44 What’s the matter? ” exclaimed Norman. 

44 Well,” explained Colonel Howell, 44 you 
know they’re just finishing the railroad and 
I was told that the trains are running to Atha- 
basca Landing. They were running a passen- 
ger train about twenty-five miles out, but be- 
yond that there hasn’t been anything but a 
construction train. There’s a new Provincial 
Railway Commission and it decided only the 
other day that no more passengers could be 
carried. The road hasn’t been turned over yet 
by the contractor and they’re afraid to let any- 
one ride on the construction train. We could 
get as far as the passenger train goes and 
there we’d be stalled. Looks like I’d have to do 
some hustling.” 

44 You can go in an automobile,” suggested 
young Zept, who apparently had secured some 
information about the country. 

But Colonel Howell shook his head. 44 There 
are only two automobiles in that service and 
they’re both stuck somewhere in the mud be- 
tween here and the Landing. Besides, that 
wouldn’t do us much good. I find that my 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


95 


two carloads of oil machinery are yet in Ed- 
monton and then there’s the airship crates.” 

“ Can’t we carry it all by wagon? ” asked 
Norman. 

“ Hardly,” responded the colonel. “ It’d 
make a caravan. We might get through in good 
weather but the trail is impassable now. We’ve 
got to go by train.” 

“ And can’t! ” commented Roy. 

“ Not to-day,” laughed Colonel Howell, “ but 
the season’s young yet. There’ll be another 
train starting out day after to-morrow. We’ll 
have to turn up something. Meanwhile, let’s 
have breakfast.” 

This meal over, Norman and Roy accom- 
panied Colonel Howell out into the city. As 
they well know, Edmonton was the town from 
which all were forced to take their start into 
the northern country and, as the colonel had 
already discovered, they soon confirmed the fact 
that transportation facilities were in a chaotic 
condition. A stage was to leave that day, but 
its passenger facilities were wholly inadequate,, 
and what there were had been engaged for 
many days. 

The first visit of the investigators was to 
the offices of the Hudson’s Bay Company, that; 


96 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

great trading institution which is at once the 
banker and the courier for all travelers in the 
great Northwest. Although altogether oblig- 
ing, at the present time the Company was help- 
less. The agent thought he might arrange for 
teams, but it would require several days. Then 
Colonel Howell visited the offices of the rail- 
road contractors, where he ascertained definitely 
that passage on the construction train was out 
of the question. 

“ Maybe we’ll have to stay here until the mud 
dries,” laughed Colonel Howell. 

The two boys almost groaned. 

“ But something may turn up,” continued 
Colonel Howell, “ and I’ll be enough to look 
after things. You boys had better take a run 
over town. If I don’t see you at noon, I’ll see 
you at dinner this evening.” 

The boys returned to the hotel, found that 
Mr. Zept and his son had finally gone out with 
friends, and they put in the rest of the day 
inspecting the lively young city. 

Colonel Howell’s acquaintances were not con- 
fined to the Northwest — he also had friends 
in Winnipeg. After leaving the contractors’ 
offices, he went to the Dominion Telegraph 
.Building and sent this message to a business 


On the Edge of the Arctic 97 

friend in Winnipeg: “ Please see the Canada 
Northern officials and tell them that I am 
stranded in Edmonton with a party of friends 
and would like to get to Athabasca Landing. ’ ’ 

In two hours, he was called up at the hotel 
by the general superintendent of that road, lo- 
cated in Edmonton, who said he had just been 
ordered by the Winnipeg officials to extend 
every facility to Colonel Howell and his friends 
in their advance to Athabasca Landing. 

“ We’re running a mixed train to a little vil- 
lage twenty-five miles out from Edmonton,’ ’ ex- 
plained the superintendent, 1 ‘ and when it goes 
again, Wednesday morning, I’ll put an extra 
car on this train. Meet me that morning at 
eight thirty, at the depot, and I will escort you 
personally as far as this train goes. Then I’ll 
arrange to have your car attached to the con- 
struction train. There has never been a passen- 
ger car in Athabasca Landing. You ean have 
the distinction of finishing your journey in the 
first passenger car to touch the great rivers 
of the Mackenzie Basin.” 

Colonel Howell proceeded at once to the 
superintendent’s office, expressed his gratitude 
at the courtesy shown, and arranged that the 


98 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

other cars containing his outfit and the airship 
should be carried through at the same time. 

When the members of the party returned to 
the hotel late in the afternoon, and received 
the news of the happy solution of their diffi- 
culty, congratulations rained on Colonel Howell. 
The boys had a new respect for the influence 
of the man with whom they were casting their 
fortunes and who had so little to say about 
himself. 

The effect was a little bit different on the 
Count, who had rather persisted all day in a 
theory of his own that automobiles were the 
things to be used. He had canvassed liveries 
and accosted chauffeurs, but he had made no 
practical advance in securing help of this kind. 

“ Our own private car! ” was one of Nor- 
man’s outbursts. “ That’ll be great.” 

“ And the first one into the North! ” added 
Eoy. “ That’s greater yet. And it gives us 
another day in Edmonton.” 

“ Which isn’t very great,” commented the 
Count. “I’ve seen all I want to of this place. 
It ’s nothing but banks and restaurants. What ’s 
Athabasca Landing like, Colonel Howell? ” he 
added a little petulantly. 

“ Oh, the Landing’s nothing but saloons and 


On the Edge of the Arctic 99 

the river, and beyond it,” he added signifi- 
cantly, “ there ’s nothing but the river.” 

At seven o’clock that evening, Mr. Zept and 
Colonel Howell with the three boys attended a 
baseball game, leaving it at nine thirty in full 
daylight. 

“ To-morrow is vacation,” explained Colo- 
nel Howell, as they separated for the night, 
“ and Wednesday at eight thirty we’ll board 
our private car.” 


CHAPTER Vn 


A TEMPESTUOUS VOYAGE TO ATHABASCA LANDING 

During their stay in Edmonton, the two 
Indian rivermen had been living royally in 
a lodging house near the depot. Early on the 
morning of the departure, Colonel Howell 
rounded up his old employees and when the 
mixed freight and passenger train backed up 
to the depot, the party was ready to board it. 
It was with satisfaction that all saw two Chi- 
cago & North Western freight cars, which Colo- 
nel Howell identified as those containing his oil 
outfit, and next to the extra passenger coach, 
the special baggage car. 

A mist was falling and it was not cheerful. 
It was time for Mr. Zept to take his leave. For 
some moments he and Colonel Howell spoke 
apart and then, without any special word of ad- 
monition to his son, he grasped the hand of each 
boy in turn. 

“ I hope you’ll all be friends,” was his gen- 
eral good-bye, “ and that you’ll all stand by 
each other. Good-bye. Colonel Howell is my 
100 


On the Edge of the Arctic 101 

friend and I advise all of you to do just as he 
tells you. Take care of yourselves,’ ’ and with 
no further words, the rich ranch owner helped 
the little party to load its baggage into the 
express car. 

There were many curious people at the 
depot, among whom, not the least conspicuous, 
were Moosetooth and La Biche. Men from the 
frontier and a dapper young mounted police- 
man all came to speak to the two Indians. 

With most of the passengers either hanging 
out of the car windows or jammed together on 
the platforms — for at the last moment, Colonel 
Howell had readily given his consent to the 
superintendent that he might also throw open 
the special car to the general public, as far at 
least as Morineville, the end of the passenger 
run — the creaking train crawled around a bend, 
and while the boys and Colonel Howell waved a 
farewell to Mr. Zept, the journey northward 
on the new road began. 

The privacy of the special car at once dis- 
appeared. The unusual jam was due to the 
impassable condition of the stage trail. Into 
the special car there came not only hunters and 
traders, but many women and children who had 
prevailed upon the railway officials to help them 


102 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

forward on the last stage of their journey into 
the river land. 

As the pitching train made its way slowly 
beyond the city limits, Norman, Roy and Paul 
also found themselves on the platform, ready 
for the first sight of a new country. They 
were looking for sterile plains. Instead, they 
found black land freely dotted with clumps of 
trees, with walls of wild flowers on each side 
of the track. Magnificent strawberries almost 
reddened the ground, while, by the fences, the 
ripening Saskatoon berry gave the first positive 
sign of the new vegetation of which they were 
to see so much. 

For three hours the train crept forward, 
stopping now and then at little stations, and 
at last reached the considerable settlement of 
Morineville. Here, Colonel Howell expected to 
meet the construction train to which the special 
car was to be attached, and from this point they 
were to make the remainder of their journey 
of seventy-five miles to Athabasca Landing 
as the sole passengers of their car. 

But bad news awaited the travelers. The 
construction train had not arrived but it was 
expected during the afternoon. The superin- 
tendent, taking leave of his guests, left orders 


On the Edge of the Arctic 103 

that their car should be forwarded on the re- 
turning construction train and at noon he left 
on the passenger train for Edmonton. Colonel 
Howell ’s car was switched onto a spur and then 
began a wait for news of the construction train. 

An affable telegraph operator did what he 
could to appease the anxious travelers. By 
telephone he learned that the expected train had 
not yet made half the journey between Atha- 
basca Landing and Morineville, and in that dis- 
tance had been off the track four times. On the 
operator’s suggestion, the adventurers made 
their way to the village for dinner and then re- 
turned to their car and spent the afternoon in 
hearing from time to time that the construction 
train was off the track again. 

“ Promises well for a night ride ! ” suggested 
Roy. 

“ It doesn’t mean anything,” explained Colo- 
nel Howell. 4 4 They just slap down an iron 
frog and run on again. Don’t get scared about 
that.” 

When time for supper arrived, the agent 
gave it as his judgment that the train couldn’t 
get in before midnight and, in that event, that 
it certainly would not go back until the next 
morning. Being assured by this employee that 


104 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

in case his theory was not correct he would 
send them word, the party abandoned their car 
to have supper and sleep in a little French 
hotel. 

The supper was bad and the beds were worse. 
Norman and Roy longed for their new blankets 
and the woods, and slept with difficulty. Some 
time, about the middle of the night, the two 
boys heard the strident shriek of a locomotive. 
They at once rushed to Colonel Howell’s room, 
eager to make their way back to the depot, but 
recalling the operator’s promise, the prospector 
persuaded them to go to bed again and when 
it was daylight they all awoke to find no train 
in sight. But the operator was waiting for 
them and ate breakfast with the party. 

“ She come in with a busted cylinder,” he 
exclaimed, “ and they had to go to Edmonton 
to get ’er fixed. But she’ll he back this morn- 
ing sometime and you’ll have a nice ride to the 
Landing.” Then he laughed. “ That is, if you 
can pull a heavy passenger coach over them 
tracks.” 

It was eleven o’clock when the old-fashioned 
engine reappeared hut any motive power 
seemed good enough and when the little Irish 
conductor read his orders, he cheerfully busied 


On the Edge of the Arctic 105 

himself in maldng the passenger car and the 
three other cars a part of his train. The spirit 
of discontent disappeared and once again the 
northbound expedition was on its way. 

Until twelve o’clock that night, the inde- 
fatigable little Irishman pushed his heavy train, 
which included many • cars of long-delayed 
freight, over the new tracks, which alternately 
seemed to float and sink into the soft sand and 
muskeg. Four times in that journey some one 
car of the train slid off the track and just as 
often the energetic crew pulled it back again. 
Once the accident was more serious. When the 
piling-up jarring told that another pair of 
wheels were in the muskeg and the train came 
to a crashing stop, it was found that the front 
axles of the car had jammed themselves so far 
rearward that the car was out of service. But 
again there was little delay. With two jack 
screws, the little Irishman lifted the car side- 
ways and toppled it over. Coupling up the 
other cars, the train proceeded. 

At six o’clock in the evening supper was 
found in the cook car of a construction camp. 
It did not grow dark until eleven o’clock, and 
by this time, Colonel Howell and his friends 
were beginning to get a little sleep curled up 


106 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

on the seats of their car. An hour later, having 
creakingly crossed a long trestle, the strange 
train, still bumping and rattling, made its way 
along the even newer and worse track which 
led into Athabasca Landing. 

There were neither depot nor light to make 
cheer for the tired travelers. With the help 
of Moosetooth and La Biche and a few half- 
breeds, the considerable baggage of the party 
was dumped out onto the sand of the new road- 
way and then, all joining in the task, it was 
carried across the street to the new Alberta 
Hotel. For the first time the boys discovered 
that there was almost a chill of frost in the 
air ; in the office of the hotel a fire was burning 
in a big stove and from the front door Colo- 
nel Howell pointed through the starlight to 
a bank of mist beyond the railroad track. 

“ There she is, boys,” he remarked. 

“ You mean the river? ” exclaimed Roy. 

“ Our river now,” answered their elder. 
“ There’s plenty of room here and good beds. 
Turn in and don’t lose any time in the morn- 
ing. We’ve got nothing ahead of us now but 
work. And remember, too, you’re not in the 
land of condensed milk yet ; you ’ll have the best 
breakfast to-morrow morning you’re going to 
have for many a day.” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 107 

Moosetooth and old La Biche had already 
disappeared toward the misty riverbank. 

Dawn came early the next morning and with 
almost the first sign of it Norman and Eoy 
were awake. From their window they had their 
first sight of the Athabasca. A light fog still 
lay over the river and the three-hundred-foot 
abrupt hills on the far side. Had they been 
able to make out the tops of these hills, they 
would have seen a few poplar trees. A steep 
brown road that started from the end of a ferry 
and mounted zigzag into the fog, was the begin- 
ning of a trail that at once passed into a deso- 
late wilderness. They were within sight of the 
endless untraveled land that reached, unbroken 
by civilization, to the far-distant Arctic. 

Beneath the fog the wide river slipped south- 
ward, a waveless sheet moving silently as oil, 
and whose brown color was only touched here 
and there by floating timber and the spume of 
greasy eddies. 

“ Not very cheerful looking,’ ’ was Norman’s 
comment. 

“ No,” answered Eoy, “ she’s no purling 
trout-brook; she couldn’t be and be what she 
is — one of the biggest rivers in America.” 

The boys dressed and hurried through the 


108 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

new railroad yards to the muddy banks of a big 
river. The town of Athabasca Landing lay at 
their backs. The riverbank itself was as crude 
and unimproved as if the place had not been a 
commercial center for Indians and fur men 
for two hundred years. 

To the left there was an exception, where, 
close on the riverbank, white palisades inclosed 
the little offices and warehouse of the Northern 
Transportation Company. Just beyond this, a 
higher and stronger palisade protected the 
riverbank from the winter ice jam. To the right 
and down the river a treeless bank extended, 
devoid of wharves and buildings. Opposite 
the main portion of the town, in this open space, 
a steamboat was approaching completion on 
crude ways. Near this there were a few 
ancient log cabins, used for generations by the 
Hudson’s Bay Company as workshops and 
storehouses. 

Three blocks to the west and in the heart 
of the new city the old historic H. B. Company 
was then erecting a modern cement and pressed 
brick store, probably at the time the most 
northern expression of civilization’s thrift. 
Still farther to the south the river swerved in 
a bend to the east and lost itself beyond a 


On the Edge of the Arctic 109 

giant sweep of hills. Not the least suggestive 
objects that came within the two boys’ hasty 
view were a few Hudson’s Bay flatboats, moored 
to the bank and half full of water to protect 
their tarred seams. In craft such as these, Nor- 
man and Roy, with their friends, were now 
about to venture forth on the river flowing 
swiftly by them, and not even the new steam- 
boat was as attractive as these historic “ stur- 
geon heads.” 

Also, in the far distance, on the riverbank 
where it curved toward the east, the young 
adventurers could make out the thin smoke of 
camp fires where a few tents and bark shacks 
marked the settlement of the river Indians. 
Here they knew Moosetooth and La Biche 
had passed the night. 

Colonel Howell’s prediction as to the break- 
fast was fully confirmed. After this, real activ- 
ity began at once. Norman and Roy knew that 
they had reached the end of civilization, and 
had already abandoned city clothes. Both the 
boys appeared in Stetson hats, flannel shirts, 
belts, and half-length waterproof shoes. 

Colonel Howell made no change other than to 
put on a blue flannel shirt. The young Count 
made a more portentous display. When he 


110 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

rejoined the others after breakfast, he wore a 
soft light hat, the wide brim of which flapped 
most picturesquely. His boots were those of a 
Parisian equestrian, high-heeled like those of a 
cowboy, but of varnished black leather. His 
clothing was dark, and the belted coat fitted him 
trimly. 

Colonel Howell left at once to give orders 
about the placing of his cars, and Norman and 
Eoy were dispatched to the Indian camp to 
find Moosetooth and La Biche, who were to 
go a short distance up the river and bring the 
waiting flatboats down to a point opposite the 
freight cars. This duty appeared to interest 
young Zept and he cheerfully joined the other 
boys in their task. 

Opposite the new steamboat they passed a 
larger and noiser hotel, in front of which were 
collected many curious people of the country, 
many of whom were lazy-looking, slovenly- 
garbed half-breeds. 

Young Zept was full of animation, spoke 
jovially to any one who caught his eye and, 
although it was early in the day, suggested that 
his young friends stop with him in the bar 
room. But Norman and Eoy’s whole interest 
was in the task before them and when they 


On the Edge of the Arctic 111 

saw the Count abruptly salute a red-jacketed 
mounted policeman who was standing in the 
door of the hotel, they hurried on without even 
the formality of declining Paul’s invitation. 

By the time the old steersmen had been 
found, the Count was out of their minds. 
Although the riverbank was sticky with mud, 
there was an exhilarating crispness in the air 
and the river fog had now disappeared. Led 
by the two Indians, the boys made their way 
a half mile up the river. Here, on a high clean 
bank, stood the big red river warehouse of the 
H. B. Company. Among the willow bushes op- 
posite it was a fleet of new “ sturgeon heads,” 
and just below these, two boats that had been 
put aside for Colonel Howell. 

From among the bushes near the warehouse 
the two Indians produced a pump and then for 
two hours took turns in drawing the water from 
the half submerged boats. Just before noon, 
Moosetooth taking his place in the stern of 
the rear boat with a small steering oar, La Biche 
loosened the craft and Norman and Roy were 
on their first voyage in the historic flatboat of 
the Athabasca. 

It was curious to note the skill with which 
the veteran riverman allowed the current to 


112 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

carry liis boats on their way, and the ease 
with which they were finally drawn in to the 
bank opposite the freight cars. 

Roy proposed to secure a shovel for clean- 
ing out the mud, but old La Biche laughed. 

“ The sun,” he said, “ he goin’ do dat.” 

Near the landing, as the boys returned to 
the hotel, they discovered a thing they had 
not noticed in the morning. A grizzled i ‘ Bapt- 
iste/ ’ as Norman liked to designate each Indian, 
was busy with a draw knife, a chisel and a 
maul, finishing steering oars. These enormous 
objects resembled telegraph poles, being of pine 
timber, slightly flattened at one end to resemble 
the blade of an oar, and at the other end cut 
down into long handles that the user might 
clasp with his two hands. 

When the Indian had roughly trimmed these 
giant oars, with the help of an assistant, who 
in the meantime seemed to have no other duty 
except to puff his charred black pipe, the old 
u Baptiste M balanced the piece of timber on 
a rock. Carefully testing the spar, in order to 
get the exact point of equilibrium, the oar 
maker then made a rectangular hole through 
the six inches of timber. The two boys under- 
stood. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 113 

At the rear of each flatboat a steel pin 
extended seven or eight inches above the wood- 
work. When this pin was thrust through the 
hole in the oar, the great sweep hung almost 
balanced, and the steersman who used it to 
guide the unwieldy craft forced the blade of the 
oar back and forth against the current with the 
force of his body. The boys found it almost 
impossible to lift one of the oars. 

“ I can see now,” panted Roy, as he looked 
over the tree-like sweep, “ where experience 


comes in. 


CHAPTER VIII 

COUNT ZEPT MAKES HIMSELF KNOWN AT THE 
LANDING 

At the noon meal, Count Zept reported that 
Athabasca Landing was certainly a live town. 
He explained that he had met the most impor- 
tant man in town, the sergeant of the mounted 
police, and that he had been introduced to many 
of the influential merchants. He had examined 
the store of the Revillon Freres and was some- 
what disappointed in his inability to secure a 
black fox skin which he had promised to send 
to his sister. 

The Revillon Freres being the well-known 
rival of the Hudson’s Bay Company, young 
Zept in his disappointment had also gone to 
the Hudson’s Bay store, but there he had been 
equally unsuccessful, although at both places 
he saw plenty of baled skins. Colonel Howell 
laughed. 

“ My dear boy,” he explained, “ furs do not 
go looking for buyers in this part of the world. 
Inexperienced travelers seem to have the idea 
114 


On the Edge of the Arctic 115 

that Indians stand aronnd on the corners wait- 
ing to sell fox skins. Skins are getting to be too 
rare for that now and, believe me, the fur com- 
panies get their eye on them before the traveler 
can. And the companies pay all they ’re worth. ’ ’ 
“ Anyway,” remarked the Count, “ I can get 
a small eighteen-foot canoe for a hundred and 
twenty-five dollars. Don’t you think I’d better 
buy one! The H. B. Company has some fine 
ones — the kind the mounted police use. I was 
looking for a bark one.” 

Even the boys smiled at this and Colonel 
Howell laughed again. 

“ Indians don’t trouble to make bark canoes 
any more,” he answered. “ That is, when 
they can buy a good cedar boat. And next to 
his blanket, the Indian prizes his wooden boat 
above his family. But don’t bother about a 
canoe. Moosetooth has one that we’ll carry 
down the river with us and I’ve got a good one 
at the Fort. Don’t buy anything. I’m buying- 
enough for all of us.” 

But the Count could not resist the tempta- 
tion and later in the day, when the boys saw 
him, he and the sergeant of police were each 
wearing a highly embroidered pair of moose- 
skin gauntlets that Paul had found in a trading 
store. 


116 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Paul had been in the company of this new 
friend most of the day and it was apparent 
that they had been to the big hotel more than 
once. 

After dinner, the unloading of the drilling 
machinery, the engine and the airship crates 
began. It was a task that Colonel Howell soon 
assigned to his young assistants, who had under 
their direction a few paid laborers and many 
more volunteer laborers who were more curious 
than useful. When Colonel Howell turned over 
this task to Norman and Roy, he returned to 
the outfitting stores and devoted himself anew 
to the purchase of supplies. 

On the morning of the second day the loading 
of the boats began. Each of these was over 
thirty feet long and could hold an immense 
amount of freight. It was generally planned 
that all of the drilling machinery, the engine, 
and some lumber were to go in La Biche’s boat, 
and that the provisions and the airship were 
to be carried in Moosetooth’s batteau. In the 
end of each boat there was a little deck the 
width of the narrowing end of the boat and 
about six feet long. 

While the boats were moving, the decks in the 
rear were devoted wholly to the use of the 


On the Edge of the Arctic 117 

steersmen, who required all the space as they 
occasionally shifted the position of their giant 
sweeps. On the forward decks the passengers 
must sleep and unless they disposed themselves 
on the cargo, find sitting room during the day. 
There was neither house nor tent for protec- 
tion. A charcoal brazier was provided, on 
which at times on the stern deck some cooking 
might be done. But in the main, unless the 
night was clear and good for running, the boats 
were to be tied up while supper and sleep 
were had on the shore. 

A part of the equipment of each boat was 
six heavy oars. These were for use by the 
Indian crew when from time to time it was 
necessary to cross quickly over the broad river 
to escape rapids or other obstructions. As 
these things were revealed to the young avia- 
tors, they grew more and more anxious for the 
hour of departure. 

When Colonel Howell’s outfit began to reach 
the riverbank the next morning, Moosetooth 
and La Biche had part of their men on hand 
to assist in the loading. It was a motley group, 
moccasined in mooseskin and with their straight 
black hair showing defiantly beneath their 
silver-belted black hats. Mostly they wore 


118 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

collarless checked flannel shirts and always 
from the hip pocket of their worn and baggy 
trousers hung the gaudy tassels of yarn tobacco 
pouches. Most of them were half-breeds, young 
men eager to show the smartness of a veneer of 
civilized vices. But this did not bother Colonel 
Howell, for Moosetooth and La Biche were alone 
responsible and these two men well enacted the 
roles of foremen. Sitting idly on the bank, cut- 
ting new pipes of tobacco or breaking twigs, 
with slow guttural exclamations they directed 
the work to be done. 

The loading began and proceeded wholly 
without order. For this reason the prospector 
suggested that the airship crates be left until 
the last. Bags of flour, of which there were 
fifty, were dumped in the bottom of the boat 
wiiere the mud and water were sure to spoil 
part of the flour. 

“ But that’s the way they do it,” explained 
Colonel Howell. “ It’s the method of the river 
Indians. They’re doing the work now and don ’t 
make suggestions or try to help them. They’ll 
resent it and think less of you for it.” 

While this work was going on, young Zept 
appeared from time to time and seemed to be 
interested but he as continually absented him- 
self. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 119 

Loading went forward slowly. Deliveries of 
stores were made several times during the day, 
but there was an entire lack of snap and the 
Indians took their time in stowing things away. 
Colonel Howell was absent most of the day 
and in the middle of the afternoon the two 
boys took their first opportunity to look over 
the town. 

Reaching the main street, they were not sur- 
prised to see the young Count, mounted on a 
lively looking pony, dash along the main thor- 
oughfare. It was hard to tell whether the ease 
and surety with which young Zept rode or his 
flapping Paris hat attracted more attention. As 
the boys waved their hats to him and he grace- 
fully saluted, they noticed that he must have 
been riding for some time. The pony was cov- 
ered with perspiration and its nostrils were 
dilated. As the rider passed an intersecting 
street in the heart of the town, the little animal 
made a turn as if preferring another route. 
The Count threw it on its haunches and headed 
it on down the street at renewed speed. 

A little later, having visited the post office, 
Norman and Roy came out just in time to see 
young Zept whirling his exhausted mount into 
a livery stable. When the boys reached this, 


120 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

they found the proprietor, who from his sign 
was a Frenchman, and Paul in a heated argu- 
ment. It was in vociferous French and in the 
course of it the boys saw young Zept excitedly 
tear a bill from a roll of money in his hand and 
hurl it on the floor of the barn. The proprietor, 
hurling French epithets at his customer, kicked 
the money aside. 

Norman pushed his way between the specta- 
tors and with assumed jocularity demanded to 
know the cause of dispute. In broken English, 
the liveryman exclaimed: 

“ He is no gentleman. He kills my horse. 
For that he shall pay two dollars more. ,, 

“ Well, what’s the matter? ” went on Nor- 
man laughing. “ Isn’t that enough? There’s 
your money, ’ ’ and he picked up a Canadian ten- 
dollar bill and handed it to the owner of the 
pony.” 

“ His money is nussing,” retorted the pony 
owner. “ He is no gentleman.” 

The absurdity of this must have appealed to 
young Zept. Perhaps the presence of his two 
companions somewhat shamed him. 

“ Don’t have a row,” broke in Roy. “ The 
colonel’s sure to hear of it.” 

The Count turned again to the excited 


On the Edge of the Arctic 121 

Frenchman and began another torrent of ap- 
parent explanation, but it was in a different 
tone. He was now suave and polite. As he 
talked he held out his hand to the proprietor 
of the stable and smiled. 

* * He ’s been drinking again, ’ ’ whispered Roy 
to Norman, a fact which was quite apparent to 
the latter. 

Then to the surprise of both boys, with Nor- 
man still holding the money in his hand, the 
excited Frenchman grasped his customer’s 
hand, and he and Paul hurried from the barn. 
A block away, the disturbed Norman and Roy 
saw the two men arm in arm disappear behind 
the swinging door of the big hotel bar room. 
Ascertaining the amount of their friend’s bill 
from one of the stable employees, Norman paid 
it and he and his companion left. 

That evening, Norman handed Paul five dol- 
lars he had received in change and the incident 
was closed. 

For three more days the loading of the scows 
continued slowly. It finally became apparent 
that the little flotilla would set out Saturday 
evening. In these days Count Paul’s manner of 
life was so different from that of the boys that 
they did not see a great deal of him. Now and 


122 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

then he was on the river front, but more fre- 
quently he was a patron of the livery stable, 
and even in the evening he was frequently not 
in the hotel when Norman and Boy retired. 

His acquaintance with the mounted policeman 
put him much in that man’s company. This 
officer, always in immaculate uniform, was very 
English in appearance, and he wore a striking 
tawny moustache. Being in charge of the local 
police station, as the sergeant, he was the high- 
est police authority in that district. As the boys 
noticed him on the street at times, gloved and 
swishing his light cane, they were surprised 
at the open signs of his indulgence in drink. 
But what surprised them even more, knowing 
as they now did of the arrangement between 
Paul’s father and Colonel Howell, was the colo- 
nel’s apparent indifference to young Zept’s 
conduct. 

“ I have a theory,” said Norman to his friend 
at one time. “ You know Colonel Howell told 
us he wasn’t taking Paul in hand to act as his 
guardian. I think he’s letting him go the pace 
until he gets him where he ’ll have to quit what 
he’s doing. Then it’s going to be up to Paul 
himself. If he doesn’t make a man of himself, 
it’ll be his own fault.” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 123 

“ I think a good call-down is what he needs/ ’ 
answered Roy, “ and the colonel ought to give it 
to him. ’ ’ 

‘ 4 I reckon he thinks that isn ’t his business, ’ 1 
commented Norman. “ It’s certainly not ours. 
I reckon it’ll work out all right.” 

“ Like as not this is Paul’s idea of roughing 
it in the wilds,” suggested Roy. 

44 Then there’s hope,” answered his chum. 
4 4 He’ll be out of the swing of this in a few 
days and when he learns what the real thing 
is, if he likes it and takes to it, he’ll forget this 
kind of life.” 

Finally the evening for the departure arrived. 
There was no fixed hour, but Colonel Howell’s 
party had an early supper at the hotel and 
then a gang of Indians carried their newly 
packed equipment to the boats. All these 
articles were dropped indiscriminately as the 
Indians felt disposed, and soon after six o ’clock 
Norman and Roy were ready for the long voy- 
age. Count Paul had turned his camera over 
to the young aviators and their first step was 
to make a number of snaps of the boats and 
their crews. 

Then, piling their rifles and their new blank- 
ets in the bow of Moosetooth’s boat, the boys 


124 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

took station on the riverbank, prepared to em- 
bark at any moment. 

In keeping with the methods that they had 
found common, it was then discovered that parts 
of the provisions had not yet arrived. Colonel 
Howell and Paul had not accompanied the boys 
directly to the boats. Even after a wagon had 
arrived with the last of the provisions, and 
these had been distributed by the Indians on 
the high heaped cargo, there was yet no sign of 
their patron. Nor was Count Zept anywhere 
to be seen. 

The Indian wives of the crew sat around 
their little tepee fires, but between them and 
their husbands passed no sign of emotion or 
farewell; this, in spite of the fact that no one 
on the boats might expect to return for several 
weeks. 

It began to grow cooler and finally the night 
fog began to fall over the swift brown river. 

As the sun began to grow less, the barren 
hills on the far side of the river turned into 
a dark palisade. Finally Colonel Howell ap- 
peared. He had been engaged in settling his 
accounts and a merchant who came with him 
spent some time in checking up goods already 
aboard the scow. But when Colonel Howell 


On the Edge of the Arctic 125 

learned that the Count was not present he 
strolled away almost nonchalantly. 

“ It’s the way of the North,’ ’ almost sighed 
Roy. “ Nothing goes on schedule in this part 
of the world.” 

“ Why should it? ” grunted Norman. 
“ When your journey may mean a year’s delay 
in getting back, what’s a few minutes more or 
less in starting out? ” 

It was far after nine o’clock and the sun 
was dropping behind the southern hills — the 
air chillier and the fog deeper, when Paul finally 
appeared. His boisterous manner was all the 
testimony needed to indicate how he had spent 
the evening. 

With him was his friend, the sergeant of 
police. He had undoubtedly been with his new 
comrade to celebrate the departure, but the 
dignified officer, being now in the field of duty, 
gave few signs of personal indiscretions. For 
the first time he was formally presented to all 
and in a courteous and high-bred manner ex- 
tended to the voyageurs his good wishes for a 
safe voyage. 

Before the representative of the law, each 
Indian at once sprang to his feet and lifted 
his hat. And to each of these in turn the uni- 


126 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

formed policeman answered in salute. When 
it seemed to Norman and Roy that there would 
be no end to the long delay, Colonel Howell 
also reappeared. With a nod of his head to all, 
he spoke quickly in the Cree language to his 
steersmen. 

Old Moosetooth grunted a command and the 
men ran to the hawsers holding the scows 
against the current. Then Moosetooth and La 
Biche, without even a look at their unconcerned 
families sitting stolidly in the gloom on the 
riverbank, took their places in the stern of each 
boat. Each began, as he leaned on his oar, to 
cut himself a new pipe of tobacco and Colonel 
Howell turned to fhe policeman. 

“ Sergeant/ ’ he remarked, “ I think we are 
ready. Will you examine the outfit? ” 

The tall sergeant bowed slightly and with a 
graceful wave of his hand, stepped to the edge 
of one of the nearest scows. With a cursory 
glance at the mixed cargo of boxes, barrels and 
bags — hardly to be made out in the twilight 
— he turned and waved his hand again toward 
Colonel Howell. Then, quite casually, he faced 
the two steersmen. 

“ Bon jour, gentlemen/ * he exclaimed and 
lifted his big white hat. 


On tine Edge of tine Arctic 127 

Colonel Howell and his friends took the 
sergeant’s hand in turn and then sprang aboard 
the boat. While the two steersmen lifted their 
own hats and grunted with the only show of 
animation that had lit their faces, the ceremony 
of inspection was over and the long voyage 
was officially begun. 


CHAPTER IX 


THE SONG OF THE VOYAGEUR 

Hardly seeming to move, the deeply laden 
scows veered more and more into the current, 
until at last the swift flow of the river began 
to push them forward. But even before La 
Biche’s boat, which was ahead and farthest 
from the shore, was fully in the grasp of a swirl- 
ing eddy, the bronzed steersman, his pipe firmly 
set in his teeth, hurled his body on the steering 
oar and plunged the far end of it against the 
oily current. 

At the same moment Moosetooth dropped his 
own oar and almost instantly both boats 
straightened out before the onrushing waters. 
It was a moment long waited for by Norman 
and Roy, and at the time no thought was given 
to any arrangements for comfort. The boys 
threw themselves on the forward deck, their 
sweaters close about their throats against the 
chilling fog and the cool breeze, while Colonel 
Howell sat muffled in his overcoat on the edge 
of the deck. 


128 


On the Edge of the Arctic 129 

Such events in the history of the Northern 
rivers were in the old days momentous. Their 
only ceremony had been the parting “ Bon 
jour ” of the policeman. 

“ In the old days,” suggested Norman, “ in 
the days that our friend Paul would have loved, 
the voyageurs had a song for a time like this.” 

“ The riverman’s song of farewell,” spoke 
up young Zept with animation. “ I wish I knew 
one. ’ ’ 

Almost instantly, those on the fast-receding 
shore heard from the boat the soft notes of some 
one in song. Under the conditions, whatever 
the words and the air, they floated back as 
many of those left behind had heard the old 
voyageur take his leave. But this song came 
from neither of the weatherworn steersmen, 
nor from the stolid members of their half-breed 
crew. Count Zept, his hat in his hand and the 
cool river wind paling his flushed face, had 
mounted to the top of the cargo and was singing 
something he had learned in far away lands. 
The fascinating tenor of his voice carried far 
over the river. 

Even out of the hidden heights on the far 
side of the current, the strains of the song came 
back with a melancholy pathos. Perhaps the 


130 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

young singer himself was moved. But to those 
who listened, it wafted over the waters as for 
two centuries the voyageurs into the unknown 
north had celebrated the setting out of the long 
voyage that might have no return. None in the 
boat spoke to him, but as he went on, repeating 
the lines, and his voice gradually dropping lower 
and lower, the boats, lost in the fog and dark- 
ness, swept into the great bend, and the strag- 
glers on shore turned and left the river. 

Although he did not realize it then, Paul 
Zept’s impromptu tribute in farewell marked 
the great turning point in his life. 

Three hundred miles of dangerous water lay 
before the travelers and their valuable outfit. 
On this part of the voyage the river ran wide 
and deep. At the suggestion of the steersmen, 
it was at once decided to make no landing that 
night but to take advantage of the easy going, 
as the cold wind would soon sweep the fog 
away. Strongly touched by the air of PauPs 
song, which the singer laughingly explained 
was a song without words, as he had made it up 
mainly from snatches of Italian opera, the 
words of which he could not recall, Norman and 
Roy got Paul on the rear deck and began to 
prepare for the night. The assistance of one 


On the Edge of the Arctic 131 

of the crew was necessary to prepare the blank- 
ets in an expert manner. Before midnight 
Colonel Howell and the three young men, snugly 
wrapped in their new u four points,” found 
no trouble in losing themselves to the world 
without. 

Long before the sun showed itself above the 
high poplar-crowned hills that lined each bank 
of the Athabasca, Norman and Boy had slipped 
out of their blankets. It was their first view 
of an absolute wilderness. The boats were still 
drifting silently forward, with no sign of life 
except in the erect forms of Moosetooth and old 
La Biche, who were yet standing against their 
long steering oars as they had stood through 
the night. Neither of them gave salutation, 
Moosetooth ’s dripping oar following in silence 
now and then a like sweep of his companion’s 
blade in the water ahead. 

Not arousing their companions, the two boys 
perched themselves where Paul had sung the 
night before and, shivering in the new day, 
began to drink in the scene before them. 

What they saw at that moment was a picture 
repeated for nearly two weeks to come. 
Although drifting at the rate of four miles an 
hour, much time was lost while the boats made 


132 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

their way back and forth across the river, and 
although it was but three hundred miles to Fort 
McMurray, there was constant delay in camps 
ashore, and at the beginning of the Grand 
Rapids a week was lost in portaging the entire 
cargo. Colonel Howell did not welcome another 
lost outfit and he was quite satisfied when both 
Moosetooth and La Biche took their empty 
scows safely through the northern whirlpool. 

Rising almost from the water, the hills, little 
less than mountains in height, ran in terraces. 
Strata of varicolored rock marked the clifflike 
heights and where black veins stood out with 
every suggestion of coal, the young observers 
got their first impression of the mineral possi- 
bilities of the unsettled and unknown land into 
which they were penetrating. 

The first deer which they observed standing 
plainly in view upon a gravelly reef aroused 
them to excitement. But when Moosetooth, not 
speaking, but pointing with a grunt to a dark 
object scrambling up the rocky shelf on the 
other side of the river and the boys made out a 
bear, Roy sprang for his new twenty-two. 

“ Nothin’ doin’,” called Norman in a low 
tone. “ That’s where we need the .303 and of 
course that’s knocked down.” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 133 

“ Well, what’s the use anyway? ” retorted 
Roy, resuming his seat. “ I can see there’s 
going to be plenty of this kind of thing. And 
besides, yon can bet our friend here isn’t going 
to stop for a bear, dead or alive.” 

From that time on, although they did not find 
animals so close together again, they saw eagles, 
flocks of wild geese floating ahead of them on 
the river, and three more deer. And continually 
the magnificent hills, hanging almost over the 
river, gave them glimpses of vegetation and 
objects new to them. 

“I’m glad I came,” remarked Norman, “ but 
I wonder how this country looks when winter 
comes.” 

“ You know how this river’ll look,” answered 
Roy. “ It’ll be a great, smooth roadway and a 
lot of people waitin’ now to get back to civili- 
zation will make it a path for snowshoes and 
dog sleds.” 

“ Some trip up here from Fort McMurray,” 
suggested Norman. 

“ You said it,” exclaimed Roy. “ But the 
colonel won’t have to make it on foot this win- 
ter — not with the old Gitchie Manitou , and 
this ice road to guide us.” 

He looked with longing at the crates of the 


134 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

airship, the two smaller ones of which took up 
one side of their own scow, while the others 
were lashed diagonally on top of the crate in 
the forward boat. The two boats had kept their 
relative positions throughout the night. 

Just as the sun began to gild the water in 
their wake, Paul stuck his nose out of the blank- 
ets. All had slept in their clothes during the 
night, Colonel Howell having promised them a 
chance at their pajamas on the following even- 
ing. There was no dressing to be done and 
when Paul joined his companions all made 
preparation to souse their faces over the edge 
of the boat. 

“ One minute,” exclaimed Norman. He dug 
among his baggage and in a short time reap- 
peared with the aluminum basin. 

“ Non! Non! ” came from the statuelike 
figure of old Moosetooth. Then he pointed 
to the abrupt cut bank of the river a few hun- 
dred yards ahead and called something in the 
Cree language to La Biche. The latter nodded 
his head and in turn called aloud in the Indian 
tongue. 

Instantly from between the pipes and crates 
on the forward boat a dozen half-breeds crawled 
sleepily forth. One of these, with a coil of 


On the Edge of the Arctic 135 

rope, sprang into the bow of the forward scow, 
and another similarly equipped took his place 
in the rear of La Biche, as if ready to spring on 
the second scow when opportunity presented. 
Both boats were headed for the cut bank. 

The commotion aroused Colonel Howell, and 
while he gave a nod of approval, the scows 
drifted in under the sweep of the steersmen’s 
oars where the deep water ate into the tree- 
covered shore. 

As La Biche ’s boat touched the hank and the 
second scow ran forward, the two half-breeds 
scrambled onto the roots of the trees and before 
the scows could bump away into the stream 
once more, they had been skillfully snubbed 
around the trunks of the nearest trees, a third 
Indian springing from the forward boat onto 
Moosetooth’s craft and making fast a line 
thrown him from the shore. Then while the 
two boats bumped and struggled to turn their 
free ends into the current, the other Indians, 
with the skill of long experience, swiftly trans- 
ferred hawsers from the free ends of the scows 
to other trees. 

“ Whew! ” shouted Paul, after the first ex- 
citement was over. “ Whatever we’re going to 
do, I hope’ll be short and sweet,” and he waved 
his arms violently about his head. 


136 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


The close vegetation of the shore was alive 
with mosquitoes. 

“ Don’t worry about these,” laughed Roy. 
* ‘ This is the breeding place of the best mosqui- 
toes in the world. Don’t fight ’em — forget 
’em. ’ ’ 

Colonel Howell, near by, exclaimed: 

“ Don’t worry, young men. Mosquito time 
is about over. You won’t see many of them 
after the end of July.” 

“ By the way,” interrupted Norman, “ what 
day is this? Is it July yet? ” 

“ That’s another thing you don’t need to 
worry about,” went on Colonel Howell with a 
chuckle. “ When the mosquitoes have gone, 
you’ll know that July is gone, and then we won’t 
have anything to trouble us till the ice comes. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Bum almanac, ’ ’ commented Roy. ‘ * Mostly 
gaps, I should say.” 

“ Not so much,” continued the colonel still 
laughing. i 1 It isn’t as much of a gap between 
the mosquitoes and ice as you might think. But 
it’s breakfast time. We’ve got two cooks with 
us, one for the crew and one for the cabin pas- 
sengers. You’d better take your morning dip 
and then, if you like, you can take the canoe and 
pull over to that gravel reef. You won’t find 


On the Edge of the Arctic 137 

so many mosquitoes there and you can stretch 
your legs.” 

The boys put off their swimming until they 
had reached the island, where they had the 
satisfaction of arousing a young buck from the 
poplar underbrush, and the mortification of try- 
ing to catch it by chasing it toward the main- 
land in a canoe. An Indian fired at the deer 
from one of the scows, but it made the river 
bank in safety and disappeared in the bush. 

“ There, you see,” announced Roy at once. 
“ The twenty-two would have been all right, 
but you’ve got to have it with you.” 

The colonel’s prediction was true and the 
three young men had a dip in the shallow 
water off the island that was certainly bracing. 
When they returned to the shore they found 
both cooks in full operation a few hundred yards 
from the scows and on the open riverbanks. 

The difference in the output of the cooks was 
considerable, but satisfactory to each party 
served. The colonel ’s party was making the 
best of fresh eggs, fresh butter and new bread 
and a beefsteak, which would be their only fresh 
meat for many days. The crew, out of a com- 
mon pan, helped themselves to boiled potatoes 
and fried pork, to which each man appeared to 


138 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

add bannock from bis own home supplies. The 
Indians drank tea. 

44 Gentlemen,” remarked Colonel Howell, as 
he lifted a tin of steaming coif ee, 4 4 here ’s to a 
friend of civilization — delicious coffee. We 
will know him but a few days longer. He will 
then give way to the copper kettle and tea. ’ ’ 

44 How about fresh eggs and beefsteak? ” 
laughed Paul. 

44 Eggs, my dear sir, have always been a 
superfluous luxury patronized mostly by the 
infirm and aged. As for beefsteak, it cannot 
compare with a luscious cut of moosemeat, the 
epicurean delight of the Northwest. It is a 
thing you may not have at the Waldorf, and a 
delicacy that not even the gold of the gourmet 
may lure from the land of its origin.” 

44 How about bear meat! ” asked Roy, re- 
calling with some concern his lost opportunity 
in the early dawn. 

44 Rather than starve, I would eat it,” re- 
sponded Colonel Howell, 44 and gladly. But to 
it I prefer rancid salt pork.” 

In such badinage, the leisurely stop passed 
while the boys finished their first meal in the 
wilderness, topping it off with the luscious red 
raspberries that were just in perfection all 
ground the camp. 


On the Edge of the Aretie 139 

That day the boats drifted fifty miles, lunch- 
eon being eaten on the rear deck. A night land- 
ing was made on a gravelly island to escape 
as far as possible the many mosquitoes. Tents 
were not erected but alongside a good fire the 
blankets were spread on the soft grass beneath 
the stunted island trees and with mosquito nets 
wrapped about their heads all slept comfortably 
enough. 

Where the Indians slept no one seemed to 
know. When the boys and their patron turned 
in as dark came on, at eleven o’clock, the half- 
breeds were still eating and smoking about their 
removed camp fire. In this manner, with no 
accidents, but with daily diversions in the way 
of shooting, venison now being one of the daily 
items of food, the voyageurs at last reached the 
Grand Rapids. 

From this place, for sixty miles, a tumultuous 
and almost unnavigable stretch of water 
reached to the vicinity of Fort McMurray, the 
end of their journey. The greatest drops in the 
water and the most menacing perils were en- 
countered at the very beginning of the Rapids, 
where for half a mile an irregular island of 
rock divided the stream. On one side of this 
the river rushed in a whirlpool that no craft 


140 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

could attempt. On the other side, and the wider, 
skilled boatmen had a chance of safely conduct- 
ing light craft through the many perils. Here 
it was necessary that both boats should be un- 
loaded and the entire outfit be portaged to the 
far end of the island. 

But travel on the river was so important 
that those concerned in it had, many years be- 
fore, constructed a crude wooden tramway 
which, repaired by every newcomer, was avail- 
able for use in transporting the heavy freight. 

Permanent camp was made at the head of 
the island when this arduous task began. It 
had taken four days to load the boats and seven 
days were spent on the island in getting the 
cargoes of the two boats to the far end. The 
sixth day fell on a Sunday, when no Indian 
does any labor. On the afternoon of the next 
day Moosetooth and La Biche made their 
spectacular races down the Rapids. Not a boy 
of the party that did not entreat Colonel How- 
ell to let him go with the first boat, but in his 
refusal their patron was adamant. The only 
man to accompany each boat as it started on its 
flight was an experienced member of the crew 
who sat on the bow with a canoe practically in 
his lap. He was ready to launch this any mo- 


On the Edge of the Arctic 141 

ment to rescue the steersman, but both attempts 
were engineered by the veteran river men with 
no other bad results than the shipping of a 
great deal of water. 

Paul posted himself opposite the most dan- 
gerous point and made pictures of the tossing 
boats and their bareheaded pilots as long as they 
were in sight. 

Then came the laborious task of reloading 
the boats, but under Colonel Howell’s direct 
attention, this operation now took far less than 
four days. Within ten hours’ travel from the 
foot of the Rapids, the boats rounded a bend at 
three o’clock the next afternoon and came in 
sight of a lone cabin on the bare and rocky 
shore of the river. 

“ Look in the trees behind it,” exclaimed 
Colonel Howell. 

Like a gallows, almost concealed behind a 
fringe of poplar trees, stood the familiar lines 
of an oil derrick. 

“ I’m sorry they haven’t got a flag out,” re- 
marked Colonel Howell, “ but that’s the place. 
All there is of Fort McMurray is just beyond.” 


CHAPTER X 


PAUL AWAKENS TO THE SITUATION 

At first Colonel Howell’s camp appeared to 
be deserted, but as the boats made in toward 
the shore and the crew began shouting, two 
men appeared from the cabin. These were 
Ewen and Miller — Chandler was not in sight. 

The new log cabin with its flat tar-paper roof, 
glistening with its many tin washers, and with a 
substantial looking chimney built against one 
end, had a satisfactory look. In addition, sev- 
eral large ricks of cordwood standing at the 
edge of the clearing gave sign that the men had 
not been idle during the spring. At the same 
time, there were many evidences of a lack of 
thrift to be seen in the debris left from the 
cabin building. 

No arrangements had been made for a boat 
landing and Colonel Howell’s canoe was lying 
carelessly against the steep bank. Both Norman 
and Roy felt somewhat disappointed. While 
neither was bothered with the romantic ideas 
usually attached to the woodland cabins of fic- 
142 


On the Edge of the Arctic 143 

tion, each had expected a smarter camp. Nor 
were they very favorably impressed with the 
two men who appeared on the bank. They were 
not exactly tidy in appearance and their figures 
and faces suggested that they had spent a win- 
ter of comparative ease among the colonel’s 
stores. 

“ Where’s the Englishman? ” was Colonel 
Howell’s salutation, as he and his friends 
sprang ashore. 

“ Over at the settlement,” answered Ewen, 
as he jerked his thumb down the river. i ‘ There 
wasn ’t much doing here and he went over there 
a few days ago to visit some friends.” 

4 4 A few days ago,” exclaimed the colonel, 
as his eyes made a survey of the littered-up 
clearing. 44 He might have put in a little time 
clearin’ out these stumps.” 

44 We just got through cuttin’ the wood,” 
broke in Miller as he and Ewen shook hands 
with their boss, 44 and we just got the finishin’ 
touches on the cabin. We didn’t know when to 
expect you. ’ ’ 

Colonel Howell, followed by his men and the 
new arrivals, scrambled up the bank and, with 
no great show of enthusiasm, began a close 
examination of the new cabin and its surround- 


144 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

ings. Nor were the boys any more impressed 
with the structure, which, inside, showed very 
little ingenuity. It had been made for the use 
of four men — seven were going to crowd it. 
After Colonel Howell had inspected the derrick, 
he returned and seated himself on a stump. 

“ When’s Chandler cornin’ back? ” he asked 
abruptly. Without waiting for a reply, which 
neither of his men seemed able to give him, he 
added: “ One of you fellows had better take 
the canoe and go and get him this afternoon — 
that is, if he wants to come back.” 

There was some irritation in his tone that 
showed everyone that things were not exactly 
to his liking. 

“ It’s only two miles,” remarked Ewen show- 
ing some alacrity, 6 ‘ and I’ll go by the trail.” 

When he had gone, Colonel Howell turned to 
Miller, whose unshaven and somewhat bloated 
face told that he had not lost any flesh during 
his stay at the camp. 

“ Miller,” he said, “ go down and take hold 
of these scows. We’ve got to get this stuff 
up here on the bank and under some protec- 
tion. I don’t want these Indians on my hands 
any longer than necessary. Keep ’em at it until 
midnight, if necessary, and then make up an 


On the Edge of the Arctic 145 

outfit for ’em to-morrow and let ’em hit the 
trail.” 

“ What are you going to do with the boats? ” 
asked Roy. 

“ We’re going to use ’em to make a cabin 
big enough for our new family,” answered 
the colonel, smiling perfunctorily. * 1 This one ’s • 
all right for our cooking and eating, but it 
doesn’t appeal to me as a bunk house. I think 
we’ll add another room. The season’s getting 
away from us and we can’t afford to lose any 
time. ’ ’ 

The man Miller had already shown signs 
of great activity when Colonel Howell suddenly 
called him back. 

“ On second thought, Miller,” he said, rising 
and throwing off his coat, “ I think you’d bet- 
ter tackle the cabin first. There ’s a lot of truck 
in there that ought to be in a storehouse and it’s 
got a kind o’ musty smell. Open all the win- 
dows and clean out the place. We’ve got to 
sleep in there to-night. When you’ve done that, 
get that kitchen stuff and use some river water 
and sand on it. Looks like an Indian shack 
in the middle o’ winter. Young men,” he went 
on, again forcing a smile, “ I reckon it’s up to 
us to get this gang busy.” 


146 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

There was nothing in this that discouraged 
Norman and Roy and even Paul seemed inter- 
ested in the unloading of the boats. Before this 
was begun, however, Moosetooth spoke in an 
undertone to Colonel Howell and, shrugging 
his shoulders, the prospector waved his hand. 

“ All right,’ ’ he exclaimed, “ they’ll work 
the better for it. Feed ’em. Four meals a 
day — that’s the least that any half-breed 
demands. ’ ’ 

While Colonel Howell and the crew began 
getting the two scows broadside along the bank, 
the Cree cooks unloaded the two cook outfits 
and the grub boxes. The laborious task of 
hoisting the crates and boxes of the rest of the 
cargo up the treacherous bank had hardly begun 
when the cooks, disdaining the fireplace within 
the cabin, had their fires going in the open 
clearing. 

Within an hour the Indians were devoting 
themselves to a filling supper and a little later 
Colonel Howell and his assistants made a hasty 
meal of tinned roast mutton, pickles, Indian 
bannock, and tea. All about was confusion. 
The personal baggage of the newly arrived had 
been assembled just without the cabin door and 
Miller and a couple of the crew were beginning 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


147 


to carry in balsam boughs, on which, in their 
blankets, the colonel and his friends were to 
pass the night. 

No attempt was made, further than Miller's 
crude efforts, to make the inside of the cabin 
more inviting. A big fire of rotten wood had 
been started near by, as a mosquito smudge, but 
all were too busy to give these pests much 
attention. 

While the Indians were at supper, Ewen re- 
turned with Chandler. 

The latter arrived with much effusiveness, 
but his greeting by Colonel Howell was rather 
curt. 

“ Of course you'll remember this," the 
colonel remarked, 1 1 when it comes to settling. ' ' 

Chandler changed his attitude instantly. His 
expression and speech showed that he was not 
sober. 

“ I'm ready to settle now," he retorted, as 
his eyes swept over the growing heaps of the 
many boxes, barrels, bags and crates that lit- 
tered the shore. 

“ I think I am too," remarked Colonel How- 
ell, “ when it suits me. Meanwhile, you're oft 
the chuck roll. Get out of camp and when 
you're in a proper condition and can show me 
what you've earned, come back! " 


148 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


The tall and emaciated Englishman drew him- 
self up and glared at Colonel Howell. 

“ Get out! ” exclaimed the latter in a tone 
that was wholly new to the three boys. 

“ I’ll go when I get my money! ” mumbled 
Chandler, half defiantly. 

Without more words, Colonel Howell shot out 
his right arm and caught the man by his shoul- 
der. He whirled Chandler and sent him sprawl- 
ing on the trail. 

The man’s defiance was gone. “ My pay’s 
cornin’ to me,” he whimpered, “ and I’ve 
worked hard for it.” 

“ We’ll see about that,” snapped the oil 
man, “ when the time comes.” 

As if dismissing the incident from his mind, 
he turned toward the scows. 

“ Look out! ” exclaimed the three boys, 
almost together, but their warning was hardly 
needed. As Colonel Howell turned, the sinewy 
form of old Moosetooth had thrown itself upon 
the crouching Englishman. The two men sank 
to the ground and there was a surge forward 
by those near by. Then the Indian tore him- 
self from the partly helpless Chandler and 
struggled to his feet. In his hand he held 
Chandler’s short double-edged knife. With in- 


On the Edge of the Arctic 149 

distinguishable imprecations and his arms wav- 
ing in the air, the Englishman disappeared 
within the fringe of poplar trees. 

Excited, but with no excuse for asking ques- 
tions, the boys turned and, with Colonel How- 
ell, resumed the task of getting their cargo 
ashore. Old Moosetooth looked at the knife, 
placed it inside his belt and began cutting a 
fresh pipe of tobacco. 

1 ‘ Life in the wilds! ” remarked Colonel 
Howell, as he and the boys regained the scows. 
“ A lazy man’s bad enough, but a booze fighter 
doesn’t belong in this camp.” 

“ Where could he get anything to drink up 
here? ” asked Norman, a little nervously. 

“ Tell me! ” responded Colonel Howell. 
“ That’s what we all want to know. Anyway,” 
he went on , i 1 we ’ve done our part towards cut- 
ting it out. There isn’t a drop of it in this 
outfit. ’ ’ 

When he could do so without attracting atten- 
tion, Norman glanced at Paul. The latter as 
quickly averted his eyes and plunged with 
greater energy into his share of the work. 

These events had taken place just before 
the “ cabin passengers ’’had been called to sup- 
per. Efforts were being made to forget the 


150 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Chandler episode and Colonel Howell especially 
was talkative and jolly. Paul was just the 
opposite. At last, when the cook had left them 
with their tea, the young Austrian seemed to be- 
come desperate. Norman and Roy were just 
about to leave the cabin when Paul stopped 
them, more and more embarrassed. 

“ I want to say something, boys,” he began. 
Then he turned to his host and, the perspiration 
thick on his face, added suddenly: “ Colonel 
Howell, I don’t know how to say it, but I’ve 
got to tell you. I lied to you the other night in 
the hotel at Edmonton. You didn’t ask me to 
stop drinking, but you talked to me pretty 
straight, and that’s what I meant to do. Well 
I didn’t stop — I just put it off, a little. I 
didn’t do the right thing back at the Landing. 
I knew it then, but I knew I was going to stop 
when I came up here and I just put it off a little 
longer. ’ ’ 

The colonel made a half deprecating motion, 
as if it embarrassed him to listen to the young 
man’s confession. 

“ I thought it was all right,” he said, as if to 
somewhat relieve Paul’s embarrassment, “ and 
I knew you meant to stop. Of course we knew 
what you were doing, but you ’re pretty young, ’ ’ 
concluded the colonel with a laugh. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 151 

Norman and Roy each gave signs of an in- 
clination to relieve PanPs embarrassment and 
Norman especially showed concern. But he and 
his friend remained silent. 

“ We ’ll let that all be bygones/ ’ suggested 
Colonel Howell, “ and here’s to the future — 
we’ll drink to what is to come in Canada’s na- 
tional beverage — black tea reeking with the 
smoke of the camp fire. ’ ’ 

A laugh of relief started round, as Paul’s 
three companions hit the table with their heavy 
tin cups, but in this the young Count did not 
join. 

‘ ‘ That ain ’t it, ’ ’ he blurted suddenly. ‘ ‘ That 
was bad enough, but I’ve done worse than 
that.” 

The colonel’s face sobered and Norman’s 
eyes turned toward the heap of personal be- 
longings just outside the cabin door. Paul’s 
trembling arm motioned toward these boxes 
and bags. 

“ I’ve got a case of brandy out there and 
I’ve got to tell you how I’ve lied to you.” 

“ Hardly that! ” protested Colonel Howell. 
“ You hadn’t spoken to me of it.” 

“ No, I didn’t, ” confessed Paul, his voice 
trembling, “ but I just heard you say we hadn’t 


152 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

anything like that with us and I might as well 
have lied, because I had it.” 

“ Did that sergeant of police know this? ” 
broke in Roy. i i I thought he examined every- 
thing. He certainly said we were all right.” 

“ Yes, he knew it,” answered Paul, “ but he 
isn’t to blame. Don’t think I’m making that an 
excuse. ’ ’ 

Colonel Howell sat with downcast eyes and 
an expression of pain on his face. 

“ Why did you do it? ” he asked in a low 
tone at last. “ Did you mean to hide it from 
me? ” 

“ No, no,” exclaimed his young guest. “ I 
don’t know why I did it. I don’t want it. I’m 
going to quit all that. That’s why I came up 
here. You know that, Colonel Howell — don’t 
you believe me ? ’ ’ 

But Colonel Howell’s face now bore a differ- 
ent expression. 

“ My friend,” he remarked after a few mo- 
ment’s thought, “ I may have done wrong to 
ask your father to let you come with us. I 
thought you knew all the conditions. If this is 
a life that is not going to interest you, you’d 
better go back. The Indians will be returning 
to-morrow or the next day and you won’t find 
it such a hard trip.” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 153 

Paul gulped as if choking and then sprang 
from the table. Prom the baggage outside he 
extracted a canvas-bound box, his own name 
on the side. While his companions sat in silence 
he hurled it on the floor at their feet and then, 
with a sweep of his knife, cut the canvas from 
the package. With a single crush by his heavy 
boot, he loosened one of the boards of the cover. 
Carefully packed within were a dozen bottles of 
expensive brandy. Paul caught one of them and 
appeared to be about to smash it on the edge 
of the table. The colonel raised his hand. 

“ Stop ! ” ordered his host. “ Are you going 
back or do you want to stay with us! ” 

“ Colonel Howell,’ ’ almost sobbed the young 
man, “ I’d give anything I have or can do for 
you if you’ll let me stay.” 

“ There’s only one condition,” answered 
Colonel Howell, and he no longer attempted to 
conceal his irritation. “ If you’re not strong 
enough to do without that kind of stuff, you’re 
not welcome here. If you are, you are very 
welcome.” 

“ I’ll throw it all in the river,” exclaimed 
Paul, chokingly. 

“ Which would prove nothing,” announced 
Colonel Howell. “ Put that bottle back in the 


154 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

box and nail it up. When you want it again, 
come and tell me and I’ll give you the case and 
an escort back to the Landing.” 

The episode had become more than embar- 
rassing for Norman and Roy and they arose 
and left the room. Paul’s face was buried in 
his hands and his head was low on the table. 
Fifteen minutes later, the young Count and the 
oil man made their appearance, both very sober 
of face. 

At midnight when the last of the cargo had 
been unshipped, when the Indians had been 
fed again and when the white men had had a 
late supper of bannock and Nova Scotia butter 
and fresh tea, and when Colonel Howell and the 
boys had spread their heavy blankets on the 
fresh balsam, in Paul’s corner of the cabin lay 
the box that had brought him so much chagrin. 
Not once during the evening had the humiliating 
incident been referred to by those who partici- 
pated in it. 


CHAPTER XI 


PREPARING CAMP FOR WINTER 

Colonel Howell being a far from bard task- 
master, especially in bis dealings with tbe In- 
dians, it was not until tbe morning of tbe second 
day that Moosetootb and La Bicbe led tbeir men 
out of camp on tbe tbree-bundred mile tramp 
to Athabasca Landing. But tbe beginning of 
work in tbe camp did not await tbeir departure. 
Colonel Howell took time to explain bis plans 
so far as they concerned his young friends, and 
tbe morning after tbe arrival of tbe boats work 
at once began with tbe regularity of a factory. 

The things to be done included a substantial 
addition to tbe present cabin, to be made in tbe 
main out of tbe straight poplar timber. Tbe 
roof of this was to be of sod and tbe new bunk 
house formed a “ T ” with the old cabin. A 
clay floor was packed within and on this a board 
floor was made of some of tbe inside timber 
from one of the scows. New timber and poplar 
posts were used to make tbe bunks, which, 
packed heavily with shredded balsam, soon pro- 
155 


156 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

vided clean and fragrant sleeping berths. Colo- 
nel Howell had learned of a sheet-iron stove 
to be had in the McMurray settlement, and this 
was to be installed before cold weather arrived. 

The other cabin was renovated and thor- 
oughly cleaned. A provision storehouse was 
added in the rear, and the clay fireplace was 
enlarged and extended into the room. This 
work under way, Norman and Roy, assisted by 
Paul, undertook to construct a rough but 
adequate aerodrome. The open space in front 
of the cabin was not sufficient for a landing 
and a large part of the clearing in the rear of 
the cabin was leveled for the airship shed. To 
decrease the size of the structure, it was also 
made in “ T ” shape, the extension for the tail 
of the machine reaching back toward the cabin, 
for the new shelter faced away from the cabin 
so that there might be no obstacle in starting 
and landing the machine. 

In spite of its simple character, the boys made 
elaborate sketches for this shed and used in the 
main small uniform poplar trees easily carried 
on their shoulders. The entire frame of the 
building was made of this timber. The front 
of it was to be made of the colonel ’s three enor- 
mous tarpaulins. The sides and top being of 


On the Edge of the Arctic 157 

heavy hemlock bark, this feature of the work re- 
quired many days and it was often tiresome. 

In the three weeks that this work went on, 
Colonel Howell appeared to be in no hurry 
to resume his prospecting. The boys learned 
that the old Kansas oil men had not been wholly 
idle in this respect and that they had located 
several good signs, all of which Colonel Howell 
took occasion to examine. 

The boys also learned that the best prospects 
were not those found where the derrick had 
been erected. From their experience, the men 
who had been left in camp strongly urged 
another location in a dip of land farther inland. 

“ It’s as good a surface sign as I ever saw,” 
Colonel Howell explained to the young men. 
“ It’s a rock cut, but there’s enough tar float- 
ing loose to show that there’s oil mighty close. 
But there’s no use getting excited about it and 
tapping a gusher. We’d only have to cap it 
and wait for the tank cars. Everything around 
here is prospective, of course. All we can do 
is to cover the field and establish our claim. 
And I guess that’s a good winter’s job.” 

“ Ain’t you goin’ to work this derrick? ” 
asked Paul, indicating the one erected near the 
camp. 


158 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ Looks like there might be gas around here,” 
was the colonel ’s laughing response. “ We’ll 
sink a shaft here an’ maybe we can find a flow 
of natural gas. That ’d help some when she gets 
down to forty below.” 

It was surprising how all these preparations 
consumed time. It was nearly the end of 
August when these plans had been worked out 
and with the setting up of the Gitchie Manitou 
in its novel aerodrome and the storing away of 
its oil and gasoline in a little bark lean-to, the 
camp appeared to be ready for serious work. 

For a week Ewen and Miller had been setting 
up the wood boiler and engine for operating 
the derrick. From the night he unceremoni- 
ously left camp, Chandler, the Englishman, had 
not been heard from. 

Each Sunday all labor ceased in camp and 
Ewen and Miller invariably spent the day, long 
into the night, in Fort McMurray. The boys 
also visited this settlement, which had in it little 
of interest. There was no store and nothing to 
excite their cupidity in the way of purchases. 
They heard that Chandler had gone down the 
river, but the information was not definite and, 
although Colonel Howell left messages for his 
discharged employee, the man did not reappear 
and sent no word. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 159 

Colonel Howell's other workmen, Ewen and 
Miller, were not companionable and did not 
become comrades of the boys. Now and then, 
in the months work, Norman and Roy had 
heard Colonel Howell freely criticize them for 
the method of their work or for some newly 
omitted thing they had failed to do during the 
winter. 

When the stores and supplies had been com- 
pactly arranged in the rear of the living room 
and the new storehouse, the cabin and its sur- 
roundings seemed prepared for comfortable 
occupancy in the coldest weather. 

The only man retained out of the river outfit 
was a Lac la Biche half-breed, a relative of 
Moosetooth, who was to serve both as a cook 
and a hunter. At least once a week, the entire 
party of young men went with Philip Tremble, 
the half-breed hunter, for deer or moose. This 
usually meant an early day’s start, if they were 
looking for moose, and a long hike over the 
wooded hills to the upland. 

One moose they secured on the second hunt 
and to the great joy of the boys Philip brought 
the skin of the animal back to camp. The 
antlers, being soft, were useless. This episode 
not only afforded a welcome change in meat 


160 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

which, as Colonel Howell had predicted, could 
not be told from tender beef, but it sadly in- 
terfered with the work on the aerodrome. 

When the Indian had prepared a frame for 
dressing the skin and lashed the green hide 
with heavy cord between the four poplar sides 
and had produced a shaving knife from some- 
where among his private possessions, the boys 
fought for the opportunity to work upon the 
hide. 

For almost two days, Norman, Roy and Paul, 
by turns, scraped at the muscle, sinews and fat 
yet adhering to the skins until at last their first 
trophy shone as tight and clean in the sunshine 
as a drumhead. Philip had also brought, from 
the upland, the animal’s brains tied up in his 
shirt. In the tanning process he then took 
charge of the cleaned skin and buried it until 
the hair had rotted, and in this condition the 
outside of the skin was also cleaned. Then 
came a mysterious process of scouring the skin 
with the long preserved brains. 

At Colonel Howell’s suggestion, and with the 
complete approval of the boys, this part of the 
process was carried on at some distance from 
the cabin. Thereafter, when the weather was 
clear, Philip exposed the skin to the smoke of a 


On the Edge of the Arctic 161 

smouldering fire, devoting such time as he had 
to rubbing and twisting the hide while it turned 
to a soft, odorous yellow. 

Before the real winter began, the skin, which 
is the wealth of the Canadian Indian, began to 
make its appearance in strong moccasins, which 
were usually worn around the fireplace and 
often in bed. 

From somewhere in the outfit a calendar had 
made its appearance, and this had found a 
lodging place in the front of the fireplace. The 
morning that Colonel Howell made a mark on 
September 1, with a bit of charred stick, he 
remarked : 

“ Well, boys, the postman seems to have for- 
gotten us. What’s the matter with running up 
to Athabasca and getting our mail? A piece 
of beef wouldn’t go bad, either. How about 
it? ” 

So intense had the interest of Norman and 
Boy been in the hundreds of things to be done 
in camp that the aeroplane, although not out 
of mind, was not always foremost in their 
thoughts. No reply was needed to this sugges- 
tion. Instantly, the proposition filled the air 
with airship talk. 

This first trip had been discussed many 


162 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

times. It required no particular planning now. 

“ I like to travel about fifty miles an hour, ,, 
exclaimed Norman, “ and it’s three hundred 
miles to the Landing. We’ll leave to-morrow 
morning at five o’clock and land on the heights 
opposite the town at eleven. One of us ’ll go 
across in the ferry — ” 

“ Both of us,” broke in Boy. “ There’s no 
need to watch the machine — everybody’s 
honest in this country.” 

“ Let me go and watch it? ” asked Paul, who 
was now the constant associate of the other 
boys in their work and pleasures. 

“ Not this time,” answered Norman. “ It 
isn’t exactly a bus, you know. We can take 
care of it all right.” 

“ Then we’ll have dinner at the good old 
Alberta,” suggested Boy with his features 
aglow, “ do our errands, and start back about 
three o’clock. It’s a cinch. With the river 
for our guide, we ought to give you a beef- 
steak about nine o’clock.” 

“ And don’t forget a few magazines,” put 
in Paul. 

This flight, which began promptly on time 
the next morning, after an early breakfast of 
toasted bannock, bacon and the inevitable tea, 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


163 


which Philip never spoiled with smoke, how- 
ever, was made with all the ease of the exhi- 
bitions at the Stampede. 

The Gitchie Manitou was wheeled ont of the 
hangar for a thorough inspection. Then the 
boys climbed in and the engines were started. 
With a wave of the hand they were off. 

For a short time after the yellow-winged 
monoplane had mounted and turned south and 
westward over the vapory river, the boys had 
a new sensation. The rising fog started air 
currents which for a time they did not under- 
stand. Perhaps Norman’s hand was a little 
out of a practice and at times Roy showed nerv- 
ousness. 

When Norman finally guessed the cause, he 
mounted higher and took a course over the 
uplands where, as the sunshine cleared the 
atmosphere, the Gitchie Manitou became more 
easily manageable. The line of vapor rising 
from the river some distance on their left was 
sufficient guide. This at last disappeared in 
turn and Norman threw the car back on its old 
course. 

Once again above the river, whose brown, 
oily surface now shone clearly beneath them, 
Roy especially busied himself with the many 


164 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

attractions of the stream. Animal life was 
plentiful and, despite Norman’s renewed pro- 
tests, his companion insisted now and then in 
fruitlessly discharging his rifle at small game. 

They made better time than fifty miles and 
made a safe landing on the heights opposite 
Athabasca some time before eleven o’clock. 
What had seemed to them, from Athabasca, 
to be an uninhabited bluff, was now found to 
contain several poor cabins. Afraid to leave 
the car alone near those who would certainly 
be curious, Norman decided to stay with the 
monoplane and Roy undertook to visit the town 
across the river. But dinner at the Alberta was 
eliminated and Roy, in addition to his mail and 
meat and magazines, was to bring back lunch- 
eon for both the aviators. 

Norman accompanied him to the brow of the 
hill and saw him scramble down the winding 
road to the ferry landing below. Here, also, 
he saw him wait nearly a half hour before the 
cumbersome gravity flatboat put out from the 
other shore, and then he devoted himself to 
picking and eating Saskatoon berries, with 
which the hills were covered. 

It was two o’clock when Roy returned, bur- 
dened with packages. For an hour Norman 


On the Edge of the Arctic 165 

had been asleep in the invigorating hill air. 
Roy had certainly gone the limit in the matter 
of meat. He had two roasts and six thick steaks 
and, what was more to his own taste, he proudly 
displayed a leg of lamb. His mail, of which 
there seemed to be a great deal for everyone, 
he had tied in one end of a flour sack. In the 
other end he had six loaves of fresh bread. On 
his back in another bag he had a weight of 
magazines. 

“ I thought we’d take what we could,” he 
began, “ and I guess it’s a good thing we came 
when we did. Somebody’s been pounding tele- 
grams in here for several days for Colonel 
Howell. I got a half dozen of ’em and I sent 
all he gave me. I got off some messages to the 
folks, too, but I wonder what the colonel’s so 
busy about.” 

“ This ain’t the only iron he has in the fire,” 
answered Norman drowsily. “ But where’s our 
own eats? ” 

Roy dumped his bags and bundles on the 
grass and then began to explore his own capa- 
cious pockets. From one he took a can of sal- 
mon and from another a box of sardines. 

“ And here’s the lemon for ’em,” he ex- 
plained, producing it from his shirt pocket. 
“ Help yourself to the bread.” 


166 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ Is that all! ” complained Norman. “Fll 
bet a nickel you had dinner at the Alberta ! ’ 7 

“ All but this,” went on Roy, and he began 
unbuttoning the front of his flannel shirt. “ It 
feels kind of soft.” 

While Norman watched him, he extracted a 
greasy bag, flat and crumpled, and tore it open 
to expose what was left of an originally fine hot 
raisin pie. 

His companion turned up his nose in dis- 
gust. 

“ I fell down on the hill,” explained Roy, 
“ but if you don’t want it, don’t bother. It’s 
just a little squashed. I’ll eat it all right.” 

Norman began to straighten out the crumpled 
pieces with his finger, when his chum added, 
with some exultation: “ And these.” 

Then, from within his unbuttoned shirt, he 
began to unload a dozen large sugar-coated 
doughnuts. 

As Norman’s mouth began to water, and he 
turned to the bread bag, a new odor caught his 
nostrils. 

“ What’s this? ” he exclaimed, pulling an- 
other greasy bag from among the bread loaves. 

“ Oh, I forgot,” sputtered Roy, a part of one 
of the doughnuts already in his mouth; “ that’s 


On the Edge of the Arctic 167 

some baked bam I found at the butcher shop. I 
guess that’s some eats.” 

“ Didn’t you get any pop? ” was Norman’s 
only answer, a look of added disgust spreading 
over his face. 

Roy turned, with a startled look: “I 
couldn’t carry any more,” he answered a little 
guiltily, “ but I drank a couple o’ bottles my- 
self.” 

“ I knew I’d get stung if I let you go! ” 
growled his companion. 

Norman looked at him with indignation. 
Then, having already appropriated a doughnut, 
he mounted quickly on the side of the car and 
sprang down again with the aluminum basin in 
his hand. 

“ Now you go down to the river and get me 
a drink. You’ve had it soft enough.” 

The return trip was almost a duplicate of the 
morning flight. In this, however, the aviators 
were able to follow the stream itself, and they 
flew low, protected from the evening breeze by 
the river hills. The ride did not seem long, 
and the boys were particularly interested in an- 
other view of the Rapids, which they had been 
unable to study in the morning flight. Not a 
single human being, going or coming, had they 
seen on the long stretch of river. 


168 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

In Athabasca, Roy had learned that their 
boat crew had not all returned, but that La 
Biche and Moosetooth had reached town and 
that both were already serving as pilots on the 
new Hudson’s Bay Company steamer that had 
been launched in their absence and was now 
making its first trip up the river. They were 
almost passing the oil camp when the sound 
of a shot attracted their attention and then, 
guided by Paul’s worn and faded hat, they 
banked and landed in the rear of the aerodrome 
at ten minutes of nine. 


CHAPTER XII 


BREASTING A BLIZZARD IN AN AIRSHIP 

When Roy turned over his half dozen tele- 
grams to Colonel Howell, the two boys saw that 
the messages were of some significance. A little 
later they saw their patron reading them a sec- 
ond time. But when the beefsteak supper was 
served he seemed to have forgotten business. 
But that was only his way. When the pros- 
pector had reached his after-dinner cigar, he 
said abruptly: 

“ So you say everything went all right! ” 

“ Like taking a buggy ride,” answered Nor- 
man. “ Don’t you want us to go oftener? If 
it wasn’t for using up the gas, there isn’t any 
reason why we shouldn ’t meet each mail stage. ’ ’ 

“I’m glad o’ that,” answered Colonel How- 
ell, smiling. “I’d like to have you take a tele- 
gram over for me in the morning and wait for 
an answer.” 

“ Don’t you think I can go in this time? ” 
asked Paul at once. 


169 


170 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

The other boys gave him no heed for a 
moment. 

“ We could go to-night,’ ’ volunteered Nor- 
man, “ if you like.” 

“ That wouldn’t do any good,” answered 
the colonel. “ You probably couldn’t get the 
operator. I’ll be more than satisfied if you du- 
plicate to-day’s trip — except as to the meat,” 
he added. “ We’ve enough of that for some 
days.” 

Paul sat in suppressed excitement. 

“ I don’t want to butt in,” he urged in the 
pause that followed; “ but I want to help all I 
can. You don’t need to be afraid — ” 

The boys could not resist a glance toward the 
bunk house door, where they well knew that 
Paul ’s embarrassing box still stood intact. And 
both Norman and Roy flushed. 

“ You can go,” announced Norman instantly. 
“You won’t be afraid! ” 

“ Only afraid of disappointing Roy,” an- 
swered the elated Paul. 

The latter was disappointed, but he gave no 
sign of it and when he smiled and waved his 
hand, the thing was settled. 
n “ I’ve been holding an option on a fine piece 
of oil property near Elgin, Kansas,” the colonel 


On the Edge of the Arctic 171 

began in explanation, “ and I had forgotten 
that the limit was about to expire. Several of 
these telegrams are from my agent, who tells 
me we must have the property. The telegrams 
are now over three weeks old and I’ve Just got 
two days in which to get word to him to buy . 9 9 

“ Write your message to-night,” suggested 
Norman, “ for we’ll get away a little earlier in 
the morning, since we’ve got to wait for an 
answer. ’ ’ 

The second flight to Athabasca Landing was 
of course Paul’s first experience in an airship. 
For some time he was subdued and Norman 
could see his tense fingers gripping the edge 
of the cockpit. But when assurance came to 
him, he made up for his preliminary apprehen- 
sion and was soon taking impossible pictures of 
the far-away hills and trees beneath him. 

Reaching the landing place on the Athabasca 
Hills, Paul at once said : 

“ I s’pose you’d feel better if you looked 
after the telegrams yourself. I’ll stay with the 
machine.” 

This was the program Norman had outlined 
but when the suggestion came from the young 
Austrian himself, Norman had not the courage 
to humiliate his companion with such a plain 


172 


The Aeroplane Boys Series 


indication of liis fear. Without hesitation, he 
answered : 

“ What are you talking about? Nothing like 
that now ! Besides, I want to look over the en- 
gine. You go and attend to things — I’ll be 
here when you get back.” 

A little after twelve o’clock, a boy arrived 
from the other side of the river, carrying Nor- 
man’s dinner in a basket. The messenger was 
from the Alberta Hotel and he also carried a 
note from Paul announcing that no answer had 
yet been received to Colonel Howell ’s telegram. 

As the afternoon wore slowly away, Norman 
became more and more apprehensive. It was 
nearly six o’clock when Paul came in sight, 
breathless and exhausted from his rapid climb 
up the hill. Norman could not resist a sigh of 
relief when he saw that the delay was not due 
to any new indiscretion of the young Austrian. 

“ I don’t blame you,” panted Paul, “ and I 
bet you’ve been sweating blood. I don’t de- 
serve anything else, but you’re going to save a 
lot of time if you’ll just forget what I used to 
be. I ain’t going to make any promises, but 
I’ll show all of you that I’m not what you all 
thought I was. ’ ’ 

Norman only smiled, but he gave his young 


On the Edge of the Arctic 173 

friend a look of sympathy. Then he announced 
a little variation in the general plan. 

“ We’re so late now that it’s goin’ to be dark 
before we get back and a little further delay 
won’t do any harm. Just back of the new H. B. 
Company store I remember there’s quite an 
open space on the other side of the town. 
We’re flying pretty light and I think we’ll 
cross the river, make a landing there, and get 
a couple of tins of gasoline. We want an extra 
supply on hand.” 

This flight was easily accomplished but it in- 
volved an experience that Norman had not an- 
ticipated. Having made a safe landing, while 
he visited the trading post and arranged to 
have oil delivered at once, nearly everyone in 
Athabasca Landing seemed to learn of the ar- 
rival of the airship. When he came riding 
back to the monoplane, in the delivery wagon, 
the Gitchie Manitou was the center of a mob of 
curious people. The sergeant of police was 
there, as well as the people from the hotel. It 
was impossible to leave at once. Politeness 
demanded decent replies to many inquiries but 
Norman almost felt repaid when he noted that 
this was the first meeting during the day be- 
tween Paul and his old friend, the Mounted 
Policeman. 


174 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Yet, in the midst of the general greeting, the 
boys finally took their leave. As they swung 
over the city and the river, the mist was be- 
ginning to rise from the latter. For a part 
of the return trip at least, Norman knew that 
he would have to resort to his compass or to 
the guidance of the varying air currents that 
marked the river course at night. 

For several days in the latter part of Au- 
gust there had been nightly frosts. Then there 
had been a short spell of warm weather and this 
night the boys could see that cool weather 
was rapidly approaching. As the monoplane 
winged its way into the gathering gloom and 
the crisp evening passed into dusk, the body 
of the Gitchie Manitou grew wet with cold dew. 
After dark, this began to turn into frost. Paul 
was able to wrap a light blanket about himself, 
but Norman, with no relief present, stuck to 
his post, protected only by his gloves and 
sweater. 

As it was impossible to make out the course 
of the river from any distance, he had to defy 
the air currents in the rather hazardous light 
between the high river banks. It was far from 
the even flight made during the day in the sun- 
light, and again Norman could see his com- 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


175 


panion gripping the edge of the cockpit. There 
was little conversation, and in order to divert 
his companion, Norman manufactured a job for 
Paul by assigning to him the duty of watch- 
ing the engine revolution gauge and the 
chronometer. 

As Paul flashed the bulbs, throwing their 
little shaded lights on these instruments, and 
sang out the reading every few moments, Nor- 
man could not resist a smile. He read both in- 
struments each time as quickly as his assistant. 

About eleven thirty, the sun having now 
wholly disappeared, Norman’s long-waiting ear 
caught the unmistakable roar of the head of the 
Grand Rapids. From this place, he had a com- 
pass bearing to Fort McMurray, and he could 
have predicted their arrival at the camp almost 
within minutes. 

“You can take it easy now,” he suggested to 
Paul. “We’re practically home.” 

When the roar of the Rapids finally ceased, 
the river fog cleared somewhat and, with the 
help of the stars, the outline of the river be- 
came plainer below. 

“ How much longer? ” asked Paul in a tired 
tone. 

“ We’ve been coming pretty slow,” was Nor- 


176 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

man ’s cheery response. 1 ‘ We ’ll hit her up a bit. 
It’s forty miles to the camp, but we’ll save a lit- 
tle by cutting out the big bend. See if I ain’t 
there in three-quarters of an hour.” 

“I’d think they’d have a light for us.” 

“ If they’re all asleep,” answered Norman. 

But they were not asleep. Some apprehen- 
sion on the part of even Roy had kept him and 
the colonel wide awake. When it grew dark 
and the monoplane had not returned, he made 
a fire of cordwood and during the long evening 
renewed it constantly. At half past one the 
Gitchie Manitou concluded its second successful 
trip. 

The answer brought to Colonel Howell, in re- 
sponse to his telegram, appeared to be highly 
satisfactory to that gentleman. As he read it 
in the light of Roy’s poplar wood signal fire, he 
remarked : 

“ I told you young men that you didn’t know 
how much you might be worth to me. If I 
hadn’t made good on that option, there’s no 
way to tell what I might have lost. I wouldn’t 
let go the deal I made to-day for twenty-five 
thousand dollars.” 

“I’m sorry I didn’t have anything to do with 
it,” exclaimed the benumbed Paul, “ but I’m 
glad I got a ride at last.” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 177 

Colonel Howell opened his mouth as if to 
make reply and then checked himself with a 
smile. The words behind his lips were : ‘ ‘ And 
a month ago you’d have probably spoiled any 
deal you had a finger in.” 

“ You had as much to do with it as anyone,” 
Norman suggested aloud. Then he laughed 
and added: “ But you mustn’t work so hard. 
Look at your hands.” 

Paul opened his yet clenched fingers and held 
them before the snapping blaze. The palm of 
each hand bore traces of blood. 

“ That’s where I lifted her over the high 
places,” he said with a laugh of his own. “ But 
look, it’s dry. I ain’t been doing it for some 
time.” 

This night was the real beginning of the 
colder weather. When they were able, in late 
July, Ewen and Miller had sacrificed a few po- 
tatoes out of their store to plant a patch of 
this vegetable. During August the little garden 
had thriven and was at last in full bloom. But 
this night, to the keen disappointment of all, 
the creamy blossoms fell a victim to the first 
blighting frost. From now on, while the days 
were even sunnier and often quite warm, the 
nights rapidly grew colder and each morning 
there were increasing frosts. 


178 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

For two weeks preliminary to the removal 
of the derrick to the better prospect, the arm 
of the drill pounded ceaselessly up and down 
all day. There were small accidents that fre- 
quently delayed the work, but no result other 
than dulled drills and the accumulation of 
promising-looking sand and rock. 

The hunting trips also continued and moose 
now became very plentiful. Philip, the cook 
and hunter, did not always accompany the boys 
on shooting trips, as the half-breed had joined 
Ewen and Miller in the work on the well. 

The airship was safely housed, as if for the 
winter. The third week in September came in 
with a lessening in the daily sunshine. A haze 
began to hang over the river valley and a murki- 
ness now and then took the place of the keen 
and clear atmosphere. The evenings had grown 
so cool that considerable attention was being 
given the fire in the living room. 

On an evening such as this, while Colonel 
Howell and his young assistants stood on the 
riverbank, watching the red sun turn to silver 
gray, Colonel Howell exclaimed : 

“ By our calendar, the fall’s coming along 
a little early. And judging by the trees over 
there and the nip in the air, we’re going to 


On the Edge of the Arctic 179 

have some weather before long. Maybe not for 
several days, but it’s on its way. Before it gets 
here, why not make another trip to the Landing 
and see if there’s anything at the post office? ” 

“ All letters ready at five in the morning,” 
announced Norman impulsively. “ Mail for 
Athabasca Landing, Edmonton, Calgary and 
points south leaves at that time.” 

“ Better bring a little more beef this time,” 
suggested the colonel with a laugh, “ and any- 
thing else that looks tasty and you’ve got room 
for.” 

“ I guess I’ve had all that’s coming to me,” 
suggested Paul. “ Don’t think I’m afraid. 
Whenever you want a helper,” he went on, 
addressing Norman, “ don’t fail to call on me.” 

“ I guess we won’t make many more trips 
this season! ” put in Roy, 'but in that he was 
mistaken. The trip made the next day was 
memorable, but two more that were to be made 
later were more than that, and the last one was 
certainly ample justification for Colonel How- 
ell’s daring introduction of the monoplane into 
these silent places of the North. 

Shortly before five o’clock the next morning, 
in spite of an ominous gray sky and a new 
sound of the wind in the trees, Norman and Roy 


180 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

were off on their three hundred mile flight. 
They planned a short stay at the Landing and 
upon reaching camp again before the shortening 
day was at an end. They carried in the cockpit 
their Mackinaw jackets and their winter caps. 
Philip also prepared a cold luncheon to be eaten 
on the return trip, thus saving time at the Atha- 
basca stop. 

Early on their outward flight, for a time the 
red sun made an effort to get through the clouds, 
but after nine o’clock had wholly disappeared 
and the temperature began to fall. An almost 
imperceptible fine dry snow appeared, but it 
was not enough to interfere with the conduct 
of the machine. When a landing was finally 
made at the old place in the bend of the river, 
although the day was dreary enough, only the 
chill atmosphere and a few traces of snow gave 
premonition of possible storm. 

This time Norman made the visit across the 
river and he was not gone much over an hour 
and a half. To facilitate the delivery of his 
stores, which were considerable, he pressed a 
horse and wagon into service and a little after 
twelve o ’clock Roy was glad to see his compan- 
ion reappear in the delivery wagon. The spit- 
ting snow had begun again. No time was lost 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


181 


in luncheon this day, but the fresh meat, eggs 
and butter and a few fresh vegetables were 
quickly stored in the rear of the cockpit. 

There were no telegrams this time, but a 
larger quantity of mail with considerable for the 
boys, some of which Norman had examined. 
At twelve thirty o ’clock everything was in readi- 
ness. On the wind-swept heights it was now 
cold. Before mounting into the cockpit the boys 
put on their winter caps, Mackinaw jackets and 
gauntlets. 

Then, elevating the front protecting frame, 
they started the Gitchie Manitou on its return 
flight, the wind and snow already smiting its 
resonant sides in a threatening manner. 

The young aviators had little to say concern- 
ing the situation. They were not alarmed and 
could not afford to be, as their surroundings 
were mild compared with the conditions that 
the unique monoplane had been made to over- 
come. And yet they were now beyond theoriz- 
ing, and it looked as if before the day was done 
they were to prove the merits or weaknesses of 
their much-lauded craft. 

“I’m glad of one thing,” suggested Boy, a 
little later; “ we’re going to have daylight all 
the way back.” 


182 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ I hope so,” answered Norman, but not very 
confidently. 

“We ought to be there by seven o’clock! ” 
retorted Roy. 

“ That’s all right,” said Norman in turn, 
“ but I’ve seen snow in the daytime so heavy 
that it might as well have been night. ’ ’ 

“ Anyway, as long as we don’t lose the river,” 
suggested Roy, “ we can’t go far wrong. And 
the compass ought to help some.” 

* 1 A compass is all right to keep you in a 
general direction,” answered Norman, “ but 
the best of them, in a three hundred mile run, 
won’t land you at any particular street 
number. ’ ’ 

“ I think,” suggested Roy again, a little later, 
“ that we might as well put up these shelters 
and have something to eat.” 

By this time the wind had died somewhat 
and the volume of the snow had increased. It 
was falling so heavily that the top of the car 
was white. Norman’s silence giving approval, 
Roy managed to elevate the protecting sections, 
which in turn immediately began to be plastered 
with soft flakes. Almost at once part of the sec- 
tion on the lee side, which by good chance hap- 
pened to be the one next to the river, was low- 



“Don’t Shoot,” He Protested. 


“What’s the Use?” 



















. 






































4 










. 

































































On the Edge of the Arctic 185 

ered again that the pilot might get a clear view. 
Then Eoy opened Philip’s bag of food. 

The aviators had both tea and water, but 
they drank only the latter and made no attempt 
to use the heating apparatus. 

At four o’clock the increasing snowfall was 
beginning to give the machine some trouble, 
and yet it was plowing its way steadily through 
the air and neither boy was more than appre- 
hensive. Soon after this the snow ceased sud- 
denly and the wind rose as quickly. 

“ We’re losing some of our extra cargo any- 
way,” announced Eoy, as the first gusts tore 
some of the accumulated snow from the 
weighted planes. 

11 And we’re losing some considerable gas,” 
added Norman. “ I hope we don’t have to buck 
this wind very long — it’s coming dead ahead.” 
It was just then, the gloom merging into dark, 
that the alert Eoy exclaimed: 

4 ‘ Look ; a bunch o ’ deer ! ’ ’ 

The car was crossing the snow-flecked river 
and flying low. Norman raised himself and 
made out, in the edge of the timber below them, 
a group of deer. 

“ Don’t shoot,” he protested. “ What’s the 
use? ” 


186 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

But his admonition was too late. Roy’s 
twenty-two had already sounded. However, 
nothing but a bullet was lost. When the mono- 
plane had passed swiftly on its way, the placid 
and apparently unmoved animals stood gazing 
after the airship. 


CHAPTER XIII 


IN THE LAND OF CARIBOU, MOOSE AND MUSK OX 

Within another hour, the first storm of the 
season had turned into a blizzard. With the 
provisions they had on hand the boys would 
have made a landing to get what protection 
they might from the blinding snow and the now- 
piercing wind had they dared. They had not 
yet changed the landing wheels of the mono- 
plane for their novel snow runners and they 
realized that a new start in the rapidly increas- 
ing snow was practically hopeless. 

Working directly ahead into the gale had so 
reduced their speed that Norman had adopted 
a series of long tacks. He did this in spite of 
the fact that for miles at a time it took him from 
the river valley, wdiich he was now locating 
mainly by the wind eddies he had learned to 
know. There was no use turning on the search- 
light, as it merely gave them a little longer 
view into the deep gray emptiness before them. 

Thoroughly appreciating their danger, the 
187 


188 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

boys also recognized that a panic of fear would 
not help them. If the car should become 
unmanageable, they would make the best land- 
ing they could and, half burying the monoplane 
in the snow, would await in the protected cock- 
pit the breaking of the blizzard and a new day. 

“ Anyway,” announced Roy at one time, 
“ while I ain’t exactly stuck on being here and 
it ain’t as cheerful as I thought it would be, you 
got to say this, the Gitchie Manitou ain’t falling 
down any.” 

No attention was given to supper and it did 
not get so cold but that the heavy clothing and 
enclosed cockpit — for they had long since been 
forced to put up all the sections — were ample 
protection for the young men. Seven o’clock, 
by which time they had expected to be in camp, 
came, as did eight and nine. It was now long 
after dark and, while the storm had abated 
somewhat, there was still a heavy wind and 
plenty of snow. 

For hours the boys had been simply following 
the compass. They had not caught the roar of 
the Grand Rapids and felt themselves practi- 
cally lost. By their calculation, and allowing 
for a head wind, they had concluded that they 
would have covered the three hundred miles by 


On the Edge of the Arctic 189 

ten o ’clock. If at that time they could make out 
no signal light, they had decided to come down 
on the upland and go into camp for the night. 

Their calculation was purely a guess but it 
was not a bad one. Some time after half past 
nine both boys made out in the far eastern sky 
a soft glow. 

“ I thought it had to be a clear night for the 
Aurora Borealis,” suggested Roy, conscious 
that his companion had also seen the same glow. 
For a time Norman made no response but he 
headed the machine directly toward the peculiar 
flare and ceased his tacking. 

“ That’s no Aurora,” he said at last. “ I 
think the woods are on fire. ’ ’ 

For ten minutes, through the thinning wind- 
tossed snowflakes, the Gitchie Manitou groaned 
its way forward. 

“ I wonder if it ain’t a big signal fire for us,” 
suggested Roy at last. 

“ It’s a big blaze of some kind,” answered 
Norman. 

Through the obscuring snow, the nervous 
aviators had located the light many miles in 
the distance. Now it began to rise up so sud- 
denly before them that they knew it had not 
been very far away. Yet they could not make 


190 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

up their mind that it was a signal fire. It did 
not at all resemble a blaze of that kind. 

“ Well, don’t run into it, whatever it is,” 
shouted Roy a few minutes later as a tall spire- 
like shaft of yellow light seemed almost to 
block their progress. 

But Norman was already banking the ma- 
chine, and the flying car responded while the 
wonder-struck boys gazed open-mouthed. 

“ It’s the camp,” Norman yelled just then 
as a little group of shadowy buildings seemed 
to rise up out of the snow. 

“ They’ve struck gas! ” blurted Roy, as he 
sprang to his feet. “ The men have struck gas 
and it’s a gusher! ” 

Even as he yelled these words, the aviators 
heard a quick fusilade of shots and as the car 
darted onward were just able to catch sight of 
shadowy forms running about within the glare 
of the burning gas well. The sight was enough 
of a shock to Norman to throw him off his guard 
and the snow-weighted car careened wildly 
toward the earth. Roy attempted to spring to 
his companion’s assistance and realized almost 
too late that this would be fatal. While the 
perspiration sprang to Roy’s chilled face, Nor- 
man’s presence of mind returned and he threw 
the car upward and into equilibrium again. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 191 

Then, straining every nerve, he made a wide 
detour but while his brain acted, the muscles of 
his hands and arms seemed suddenly paralyzed. 
The car dropped slowly and safely in the midst 
of the clearing, and when it touched the snow 
the landing chassis caught and the airship 
stopped as if in collision with a wall. Both boys 
lunged forward and when Roy got to his feet 
he found Norman curled up among the steering 
apparatus, cold and motionless. 

It was a good half hour later when the young 
aviator had been revived. His first inquiry was 
about the Gitchie Manitou . When he learned 
that this was apparently little injured and had 
already been backed into the aerodrome, he 
gave more evidence of his all-day’s strain by 
again relapsing into unconsciousness on the cot 
that had been improvised for him before the fire 
in the living room. 

The more fortunate Roy was able to relate 
their adventures and hear the details of the 
gas gusher ’s discovery that night. Within the 
protected clearing, the storm had been more 
of a heavy downfall of snow and less of a bliz- 
zard. Anxious to move the derrick before win- 
ter was fully upon them, Colonel Howell and 
his two men had persisted in working the drill 


192 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

all day. When the gas vein was unexpectedly 
tapped late in the afternoon, the drill pipes had 
been blown out and the escaping gas, igniting 
from the near-by boiler, had consumed the der- 
rick. Fortunately, the tubing and drills had 
been forced through the derrick and were saved. 

The engine house had also caught fire, but 
this had been pulled down and it was thought 
that the engine and boiler were undamaged. 
These details were discussed while Roy ate a 
late supper and drank with more relish than 
ever before his tin of black tea. Norman was 
so improved by morning that he was early astir, 
eager for a view of the still roaring volume of 
gas. He found that Colonel Howell had also 
taken advantage of the first daylight to inven- 
tory the possible damage. 

While the twisting yellow flame of the 
uncapped well was less inspiring as day broke, 
the roar of the escaping flame fascinated the 
young aviator. 

“ It’s a gusher, and a dandy,’ ’ explained 
Colonel Howell as he and Norman stood close 
by it in the melting snow. i ‘ But I think we ’re 
prepared for it and we’ll try to cap it to-day.” 

All else, the clearing, the camp structures 
and the banks of the river, were peaceful and 


On the Edge of the Arctic 193 

white under the untracked mantle of new-fallen 
snow. The wind had died out and the gas 
camp at Fort McMurray stood on the verge of 
the almost Arctic winter. 

The excitement attendant upon the wonderful 
discovery and the attempt made at once to con- 
trol the fiery shaft again interfered with Colo- 
nel Howell ’s real plans of active prospecting. 
For days the experienced oil men made futile 
efforts to extinguish the gusher and to cap the 
shaft. When they were of no assistance in this 
work, Norman and Roy overhauled the airship 
and substituted the ski-like runners in place 
of the aluminum-cased rubber-tired landing 
wheels. 

It seemed as if every trader, trapper and 
prospector within fifty miles visited the camp. 
A week after the discovery, somewhat to the 
surprise of all, although apparently not so 
much to Ewen and Miller, the long missing 
Chandler appeared at the clearing late one 
evening. If he had any apology to make to 
Colonel Howell, the boys did not hear it. But 
he was sober enough this time and somewhat 
emaciated. He had come to settle with his old 
employer and explained his long delay in doing 
this by saying: “ I knew my money was good 


194 The Aeroplane Bops Series 

any time,” and that he had been trapping 
farther down the river. 

He lounged about the camp the greater part 
of the day and even volunteered his services in 
the still unsuccessful attack of the flaming gas. 
But Colonel Howell seemed without any interest 
in his offers. The man was invited, however, 
to eat in the camp and spend the night there. 

When the boys retired, Colonel Howell, the 
visitor, and Ewen and Miller were still smoking 
before the big fire. The next morning the boys 
slept late and when they responded to Philip’s 
persistent call to breakfast, they found that 
Chandler had eaten and gone. Colonel Howell 
was awaiting the boys, Ewen and Miller being 
already at work on the blazing well, and he 
seemed to have something on his mind. 

“ Would there be any great danger,” he 
began at once, addressing Norman, “ in mak- 
ing a short flight in your airship in weather like 
this? ” 

“ This isn’t bad,” volunteered Eoy. “ It’s 
only a few degrees below zero. There’s a good 
fall of snow for our runners and there hasn’t 
been any wind since the blizzard.” 

“ Well,” resumed Colonel Howell, almost 
meditatively, “ it seems a shame for us to be 


On the Edge of the Arctic 195 

livin , here in what you might call luxury and 
folks starving all around us. Look at this,” he 
went on, and he led the three boys near one of 
the windows where a large Department of the 
Interior map of northern Alberta was tacked 
to the wall. “ Here’s Fort McMurray and our 
camp, ’ ’ he began, pointing to a black spot on the 
almost uncharted white, where the McMurray 
River emptied into the Athabasca. Then he ran 
his finger northward along the wide blue line 
indicating the tortuous course of the Athabasca 
past Fort McKay and the Indian settlement 
described as Pierre au Calumet (marked 
“ abandoned ”), past the Muskeg, the Firebag 
and the Moose Rivers where they found their 
way into the giant Athabasca between innumer- 
able black spots designated as “ tar 99 islands, 
and at last stopped suddenly at the words 
“ Pointe aux Tremble.” 

“ That’s an Indian town,” went on Colonel 
Howell, “ and it’s about as far south as you 
ever find the Chipewyans. It isn’t much over 
a hundred miles from here and Chandler says 
there ain’t a man left in the village. Pretty 
soon, he thinks, there’ll be no women and chil- 
dren left. Maybe he’s making a pretty black 
picture but he says all the men have gone over 


196 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

toward the lake hunting. They’ve been gone 
over two weeks and the camp was starving when 
they left.” 

The colonel, with a peculiar look on his face, 
led the way back to the breakfast table. 

‘ 6 These Indians are nothing to me , 9 9 he went 
on at last, ‘ ‘ and all Indians are starving pretty 
much all the time, but they die just the same. 
But somehow, with plenty of pork and flour here 
and this great invention here right at hand from 
which nobody’s benefitting, it seems to me we 
must be pretty hard-hearted to sit in comfort, 
stuffing ourselves, while little babies are dying 
for scraps that we’re throwing in the river. 
I ” 

“ Colonel,” exclaimed Roy at once, “ you’ve 
said enough. Get up what you can spare and 
we’ll have bannocks baking in that settlement 
before noon.” 

“ I don’t want to get you into another bliz- 
zard,” began the colonel, yet his satisfaction 
was apparent. 

“ Don’t you worry about that,” broke in 
Norman. “ I think we feel a good deal the 
same way about this. Besides, aren’t we 
working for you? ” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 197 

“ Nothing like that! ” expostulated the oil 
prospector. “ This isn’t an order.” 

i ‘ I’ll help get the stuff ready,” began Paul, 
“ for I know that’s all I can do. Is this Chand- 
ler trapping near there? ” he went on, as he 
gulped down the last of his tea. 

“ Says he’s been helping them,” explained 
Colonel Howell, “ but he couldn’t have done 
much, judging by his appearance.” 

“ Is he going back there? ” asked Roy 
curiously. 

“ He didn’t say,” answered Colonel Howell 
slowly. “ But he’s got his money now and 
I imagine he won’t go much farther than Fort 
McMurray. I don’t care for him and I don’t 
like him around the camp. He’s too busy talk- 
ing when the men ought to be at work. ’ ’ 

It was an ideal winter’s day, the atmosphere 
clear and the temperature just below zero. 
There was no cause for delay and while Norman 
made a tracing and a scale of the route, Paul 
and Roy drew the Gitchie Manitou into the open. 
Colonel Howell and the half-breed cook had 
been busy in the storehouse, arranging packets 
of flour and cutting up sides of fat pork. Small 
packages of tea were also prepared, together 
with sugar, salt and half a case of evaporated 


198 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

fruit. The only bread on hand was the remain- 
der of Philip’s last baking of bannock. 

“ See how things are,” suggested Colonel 
Howell, when these articles were passed up to 
Roy, “ and if they’re as bad as Chandler says, 
we’ll have to send Philip out for a moose. 
These things ’ll carry ’em along for a few days 
at least.” 

The look on the young Count’s face was such 
that Norman was disturbed. 

“ Paul, old man,” he said, “ I know you’d 
like to go with us and we’d like to have you. 
But we’ve got more than the weight of a third 
man in all this food. I hope you don’t feel 
disappointed.” 

“ Well, I do, in a way,” answered Paul, with 
a feeble attempt at a smile, “ but it isn’t just 
from curiosity. I envy you fellows. You’re 
always helping and I never find anything 
to do.” 

“ You can help me to-day,” laughed Colonel 
Howell. “ I’m going to cap that gas well or 
bust it open in a new place. I’ll give you a job 
that may make both of us sit up and take 
notice.” 

“ Come on,” exclaimed Paul, seeming 
instantly to forget the mission of the machine. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 199 

“ I Ve been wanting a finger in that pie from the 
start.’ ’ 

4 4 Good luck to you,” called out Norman, as 
he sprang aboard the monoplane, and the colo- 
nel caught Paul laughingly by the arm and held 
him while Norman threw the big propeller into 
sizzling revolution. 

The powerful car slid forward for the first 
time on its wooden snowshoes. As it caught 
the impulse of the great propeller, it sprang 
into the air and then dropped to the snow again 
with the wiggling motion of an inexperienced 
skater. Then, suddenly responding again to the 
propeller, it darted diagonally toward a menac- 
ing tree stump; but Norman was too quick for 
it. Before harm could result, the planes lifted 
and the airship, again in its native element, 
hurled itself skyward steadily and true. 

It was an exhilarating flight. For the first 
time the boys got a bird’s-eye view of Fort 
McMurray and were surprised to find that the 
main settlement drifted down to the river in a 
long-drawn-out group of cabins. Few people 
were in sight, however, and all the world spread 
out beneath them as if frozen into silence. The 
big river continued its course between the same 
high hills and, as the last cabin disappeared, 


200 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

the boys headed the Gitchie Manitou directly 
for the top of the hills, where the plains began 
that led onward and onward until the sparse 
forests finally disappeared in the broken land 
of the Barren Grounds. And on these, not 
much farther to the North, they knew that cari- 
bou and moose roamed in herds of thousands, 
and that the musk ox, the king of the Northland 
big game, made his Arctic home. 


CHAPTER XIV 


IN THE CABIN OF THE PARALYZED INDIAN 

No sooner had the monoplane begun to disap- 
pear over the northern hills than the impatient 
Paul demanded the attention of Colonel Howell. 

“ Colonel,” he began, “I’m almost ashamed 
to even make the suggestion, but I’ve been 
watching the men at work on the gusher. They 
don ’t seem able to get a plug into the pipe or to 
put a cap on the end of it, even with the rigging 
they’ve managed to set up.” 

“We seem to be at the end of our string,” 
laughed Colonel Howell. “ But laymen fre- 
quently make suggestions that never occur to 
professionals. Have you an idea? ” 

“ Not much of a one,” answered Paul diffi- 
dently, ‘ ‘ hut I learned one thing in school — I 
think it was in what you call ‘ Physics. ’ ’ ’ 

“ Speak out,” laughed Colonel Howell. 
“ We’ve utilized all our own ideas; that is, all 
but one, and I don’t like that. I suppose we can 
dig a pit around the pipe and smother the blaze. 

201 


202 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

But that’s goin’ to be quite a job, and I’m not 
sure it would work.” 

“ A pit! ” exclaimed Paul. “ Now I’ve got 
it. They used to tell me, when you strike a 
force you can’t handle, try to break it up into 
parts.” 

Colonel Howell looked up quickly. 

“ We don’t need a pit,” went on Paul, “ but 
something like a trench. Let ’s dig down along- 
side the pipe until we’re ten or fifteen feet 
beneath the ground and then tap the tube and 
let some of the gas out where it won’t do any 
harm. If we can’t drill a hole, we can rig up a 
long-handled chisel and punch an opening. 
When the gas rushes out, down there in the 
trench, maybe it won’t catch fire for a few 
minutes and it’s sure to shut off a good deal 
of the pressure at the mouth of the tube. If it 
does, maybe we can get the cap and the regula- 
tor on the top. Then we can plug the opening 
below. It’ll leak, of course, but the regulator’ll 
fix things so we can use the gas at least.” 

Colonel Howell thought a moment and then 
slapped the young man on the back. Without a 
word, he hurried to the two workmen and in a 
few moments Ewen and Miller had begun dig- 
ging into the frozen ground. Colonel Howell’s 


On the Edge of the Arctic 203 

orders were for them to make a trench about 
four feet wide and extending toward the river 
about twenty feet. It was to be twenty feet 
deep alongside the pipe and in the form of a tri- 
angle, the long side to incline toward the river. 
This was to facilitate the removal of the gravel 
and dirt and to afford a path to the deep side 
of the trench where it touched the gas tubing. 

“ Five feet from the bottom,’ ’ explained the 
enthusiastic Paul, “ we’ll put a shelf across 
the trench and we’ll work from this, so that 
when a hole is made in the pipe no one will be 
in danger from the rush of gas.” 

“ That’s right,” added Colonel Howell. 
“ All the gas can’t get out through the new 
opening, but enough of it ought to escape to 
make it possible to work on the top opening. 
But we’ll hardly finish the ditch before the 
boys get back? ” 

“ Hardly,” smiled the happy Paul. “ They 
ought to be here before dark.” 

While Ewen and Miller were busy with picks 
and shovels, Colonel Howell and Paul devoted 
themselves to improvising the long wooden 
handle for the chisel to be used in cutting the 
pipe. But the workmen had not finished the 
trench when night came and, to the surprise of 


204 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Colonel Howell and Paul, the Gitchie Manitou 
had not returned. This fact especially dis- 
turbed Colonel Howell and Paul because soon 
after noon the bright day had ended and the 
afternoon had passed with lowering clouds and 
other evidences, including a decided drop in the 
temperature, that a bad night was approaching. 

The northward flight of the aviators had been 
made without any premonition of this change. 
After the monoplane had reached the high 
ground, Norman could not resist a temptation 
to make his way some miles back from the river, 
where the boys could see that the sparse timber 
grew very much thinner and that within five 
miles of the river the timberland disappeared 
altogether in a wide prairie or plain. Still 
farther to the east, they could make out irreg- 
ular elevations on the plain, which appeared 
to be treeless ridges. 

“ I wish we had time to go over there,’ ’ 
remarked Roy, “ for we may never get back 
this way and I ’d like to have had one good look 
at the caribou lands.” 

But the general nature of this treeless, bar- 
ren waste had been ascertained and Norman 
brought the swift car back on its flight toward 
the river. Colonel Howell had explained to 


On the Edge of the Arctic 205 

them that the Indian village they were seeking 
was one hundred miles from the gas camp. As 
it was not certain that Pointe aux Tremble 
could be easily made out from a distance, it 
was necessary to keep careful watch of the 
chronometer and the propeller revolution 
gauge. 

The flight over the picturesque banks of the 
great river was now getting to he an old story 
to the boys and protected as they were in the 
inclosed cockpit, the journey proceeded with 
only occasional comment. They had left the 
camp at nine twenty-five o ’clock, having set the 
engines at fifty miles, and, allowing for their 
detour, at a quarter after eleven o’clock Roy 
arose and began to use his binoculars. But 
either the reputed distance or the boys’ calcu- 
lations were wrong, for it was not until a quar- 
ter of twelve o’clock that they caught sight of 
a few cabins scattered along the riverbank 
within a fringe of poplar trees. 

It was necessary to find a suitable landing 
place and both aviators busied themselves in 
this respect with no great result. What clear- 
ing there was seemed to be full of tree stumps 
and large brush. The car, having passed over 
the few cabins of what seemed to be a deserted 


206 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

village, with no living thing in sight, it was 
necessary to make a turn to look for a landing 
place in the vicinity. In doing this, Norman 
made a wide swing. 

The only naturally open place was some dis- 
tance to the east. Without consulting Roy, he 
made for this white glare of snow. As the 
monoplane dropped toward the wide opening, 
Roy made a desperate dive toward the floor of 
the cockpit and, before Norman learned the 
situation, his chum was pulling its new moose- 
skin jacket from the .303 rifle-. 

“ It’s a moose! ” shouted Roy, “ and a 
dandy. Gi’ me a shot at it. I’ve got to shoot 
something from the machine.” 

“ I thought there wasn’t any game around 
here,” answered Norman, trying in vain to get 
his eyes above the cockpit. 

“ I guess the hunters have all gone too far,” 
answered Roy breathlessly. “ Anyway, there’s 
a dandy bull right out there in the open. Give 
me a shot at it. ’ ’ 

As he spoke, he dropped one of the front 
sections and pointed to one side of the basin- 
like opening among the spruce trees. The 
moment Norman caught sight of the animal, 
which stood with its forefeet together, its head 


On the Edge of the Arctic 207 

erect, and its immense spread of antlers reared 
almost defiantly, lie brought the machine 
directly toward the animal. There was a heavy 
discharge from Roy’s rifle, but no sign that his 
shot had gone home. 

“ Try him again,” laughed Norman. 4 4 He’s 
big as a barn.” 

But while Roy pumped a new shell into 
place, the erect animal suddenly stumbled and 
then with a snort whirled and sprang toward 
the trees. This time when the rifle sounded the 
great antlers seemed to rise higher and then the 
moose lunged forward on its head and began 
kicking in the snow. Norman, gazing at the 
struggling animal, brought the monoplane to 
the wide drifts of snow. 

“ You get out and finish him,” he exclaimed 
as the Gitchie Manitou came to a jolting stop. 
“ It’s getting colder. I’m going to put some 
alcohol an’ glycerine in the radiator. This isn’t 
a very good place to freeze up.” 

“ Why not wait till we get over to the 
camp! ” asked Roy as he dropped one of the 
side sections. 

‘ 4 We’ve got enough of a load now,” an- 
swered Norman as he began to prowl around 
among the extra supplies. “ There isn’t much 


208 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

snow among the trees. We’ll take all we can 
carry of this fresh meat and go to the camp 
on foot. There’s no place to land there, 
anyway. ’ ’ 

Closing the machine, the two boys soon 
quartered the moose, and leaving a part of the 
carcass in the lower limbs of a spruce tree, 
shouldered the remainder and made their way 
toward the Indian village. The snow and their 
heavy load made this a panting task and in 
the mile walk they paused to rest several times. 

When they finally reached the edge of the 
Indian settlement and broke their way through 
the last of the trees, they found before them a 
picture that had escaped them from the airship. 
In the distance lay the deserted looking cabins 
but, nearer by and as if seeking protection 
among the scrub spruce, rose a single tepee. 
Before it stood two men and two squaws. 

“ They must have seen us,” panted Boy, as 
he and Norman advanced, bending low under 
their burdens. “ They seem to be watchin’ for 
us.” 

In fact, one of the men had his arms out- 
stretched. The cheerless group was made even 
more so by a small, almost blazeless fire, in the 
thin smoke of which was suspended a black 
kettle. 



1 1 They Must Have Seen Us, ’ 1 Panted Eoy as He and Norm an 

Advanced. 



% 


On the Edge of the Arctic 211 

“ No wonder they let a moose almost stick 
his nose in camp,” was Norman’s comment. 
“ The men seem to be as old as Methuselah.” 

There was nothing dramatic in the arrival of 
the boys, for the Indians spoke no English 
and gave not the least sign of gratitude when 
the quarters of the moose were thrown on the 
ground. Both the women sank on their knees 
and one of them eagerly bit into the raw flesh. 
After vainly attempting to talk to the men, Nor- 
man pointed to a knife in the belt of one of them 
and then at the freezing flesh on the ground. 

While the boys watched them, this aged and 
emaciated Chipewyan also dropped on his knees 
and hastily cut off four strips of flesh. Without 
any attempt at cooking these the starving group 
attacked them voraciously in their raw condi- 
tion. After a few moments, the boys took the 
other quarter and, motioning toward the other 
cabins, started toward them. They decided, if 
they found no younger men, to take the two old 
men back to the monoplane and deliver to them 
their other provisions. 

Having reached the first cabin, the boys at 
once discovered that Chandler had not over- 
stated the camp condition. Neither in this 
filthy structure, nor in any but one of the other 


212 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

half dozen did they find anyone but women and 
children. In each cabin there was heat in 
plenty, but signs of food were wholly missing. 
In each place the air was foul, and half-clad 
children made the situation pitiable. In one 
fortunate cabin, the children were chewing 
shreds of skin. 

Still unable to find anyone who could speak 
English, the boys continued their work of 
rescue by cutting off a generous piece of moose 
and then continuing their investigation. Hav- 
ing reached the last cabin, which differed in no 
respect from the others, Norman and Roy came 
across a surprise that was a shock to them. 
Swinging open the door, without warning, they 
entered a chill interior that was reeking with 
new odors. A small fire burned in one corner 
and before it, on a pallet of worn and greasy 
blankets, lay the distorted figure of a man. He 
was the sole occupant of the almost dark room. 

While the boys hesitated, choking with the 
rancid and stifling odors about them, they saw 
the figure turn its head with an effort. Then 
they saw that it was a man of about middle age, 
who was almost completely paralyzed. He could 
move neither his legs nor his body, but with the 
use of his elbows, he was just able to turn the 
upper part of his body. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 213 

He did not resent the intrusion but be did 
not give the young men the least sign of wel- 
come. In his left hand rested a charred stick. 
With this he was able to reach the little fire at 
his side, in front of which was piled a heap of 
small sticks and branches — his firewood. 

The fireplace and chimney, which was also 
inside the cabin, were made of clay and occu- 
pied the corner of the uninviting apartment. 
Near the fire stood a smoke-begrimed frying 
pan in which there was a piece of black meat of 
some kind. On the dirty clay hearth was a tin 
basin, in which were a few ounces of soiled 
looking meal or flour. 

“ The man’s paralyzed,” remarked Norman 
in an undertone. ‘ ‘ But at that he seems better 
off than the rest.” 

“ He ain’t starvin’, at least,” answered Roy. 
“ But we’d better give him his share of moose.” 

He spoke to the man and was surprised to 
receive a grin in return. It meant that the 
invalid did not understand. But the moment 
they offered the meat to the almost-helpless 
man, they were glad to see that he had the full 
use of his arms and fingers. Reaching for a 
knife that lay under him, he began to cut off 
pieces of fat with celerity. These he ate with- 
out cooking. 


214 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

The close cabin was so crowded with articles 
of various kinds that the boys could not resist 
an examination before they took their leave. 

“ Somebody’s been livin’ here besides this 
man, ’ ’ exclaimed Roy at once. He pointed to the 
opposite corner of the cabin where there were 
indications that some one had had a bunk. 
Then in the other end of the room they found 
the cause of the heavy odors. Hanging from 
the rafters were several dozen skins, stretched 
tightly on trappers’ boards, and in various 
states of curing. There was also a collection 
of steel traps, a dog sled and a jumbled mass 
of dog harness. 

Curing skins was not exactly a novelty to 
either of the boys but they knew a valuable 
skin from an ordinary one and they could not 
resist the temptation to look for a possible 
silver fox. They soon decided that the trapper 
who might have collected these furs was one 
of no great experience. Roy pointed to the 
skins, then made signs to the Indian as if to 
ask if the skins belonged to him. The man 
grinned in silence and punched up his little fire. 
Roy was examining one of the stretched hides 
when he suddenly called to Norman and pointed 
to a name written with indelible pencil near 
the bottom of the board. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 215 

“ Well, what do you think of that? ” ex- 
claimed the astonished Norman. 

The two boys were looking at the scrawl 
which was plainly “ E. 0. Chandler.’ ’ 

6 ‘ There you are ! ’ ’ exclaimed Roy. 1 6 Here ’s 
where our friend made his headquarters. No 
wonder he knew that the Indians were 
starving . 9 9 

There was a light tapping on the floor and 
the paralyzed and speechless Indian pointed 
toward the corner of the room where there 
were signs of a bunk. In the gloom the boys 
went to this place. But they noticed nothing 
in particular until the prostrate Indian again 
lifted his stick upward. And then, shoved in a 
crevice between the logs, they saw a soiled and 
crumpled envelope. Taking it to the window, 
they read plainly enough the address — “ E. 0. 
Chandler, Fort McMurray.” There was no 
postmark but in the upper left hand corner was 
this printing — “ Hill Howell, Contractor, Cen- 
tralia, Kansas.” 

“ It’s one of the envelopes that Colonel How- 
ell has down in camp,” exclaimed Roy. 

“ Yes,” answered Norman slowly, “ and I’ll 
bet you it’s a message that either Ewen or 
Miller wrote to Chandler after he left us.” 


216 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

“ Do you think we ought to read it? ” asked 
Roy, his fingers grasping the greasy envelope 
as if itching to extract the enclosure. 

“ I reckon it’s none of our business,’ ’ an- 
swered Norman, as if with some regret, “ but 
I’ll bet it concerns Colonel Howell and I believe 
we ought to take it to him.” 

Roy turned toward the Indian and made signs 
of putting the letter in his pocket. If this meant 
anything to the helpless man, he gave no sign 
other than the same peculiar grin. Roy put the 
envelope in his pocket and, making signs of 
farewell, the two boys left the cabin. 


CHAPTER XV 


A LETTER GOES WRONG 

The conditions that the young aviators had 
just encountered had not sharpened their appe- 
tites. But again in the fresh air, they decided 
to use speed and complete their mission and,, 
incidentally, to have a little tea and some ban- 
nock at the airship. 

At two of the cabins where they had seen 
the strongest women, they stopped and made 
signs for the squaws to follow them. At the 
tepee in the edge of the woods they found the 
two old men and the two women huddled around 
a fire on the inside of the tepee, with every sign 
of having gorged themselves upon the food 
given them. In the kettle outside, chunks of 
the moose were stewing under a now brisk fire. 
This entire party was also enlisted and Nor- 
man and Roy made their way back to the snow 
basin in the woods. Without delay they passed 
out all the supplies to the Indians who had 
accompanied them, showed them the remainder 
21 


218 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

of the moose and made signs that these should 
be distributed equally among all. With every 
expression of pleasure, but none of gratitude, 
the six Indians took instant departure. 

“ It’s three o’clock,’ ’ announced Norman, 
when this had been done. 4 i Now for a little 
camp fire out here in the snow, some tea and a 
piece of bannock, and we’ll make a record trip 
back home.” 

Unaware of the disastrous discovery they 
were soon to make the two boys took a leisurely 
rest. 

“ It’s the only time I miss a pipe,” remarked 
Roy as he sat behind a snow bank with his feet 
toward the cheery blaze. 

“ Well, if ever I begin,” said Norman in 
turn, “ I’ll never try to manipulate any of this 
plug smokin’ stuff. I’ll go to the States for a 
mixture of some kind and not try to shave down 
the brick of hydraulic-pressed tobacco that the 
half -breeds use.” 

After a long loaf before the fire the boys 
made preparations to return. 

“ Looks a little like the blizzard day,” re- 
marked Roy, “ and it’s certainly getting some 
colder. I hope the wind won’t come up. If it 
does, I hope it comes out of the north.” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


219 


While he spoke, the two boys took hold of 
the frame of the monoplane to pnll it out onto 
the smooth snow and head it south. The airship 
had been resting upon what seemed to be a lit- 
the ridge. Pulling the chassis from this rise in 
the snow, they were both astounded to find the 
body of the car shift to one side and sink into 
the snow. 

Both sprang to that side of the car and Nor- 
man, running his hand along the wooden land- 
ing ski, gasped with astonishment when he 
found the long runner broken sharply in the 
middle. 

“ That’s fine! ” he shouted. “ This runner’s 
out of business! ” 

Roy ran to the rear where the car had stopped 
and found underneath the snow a rocky ledge. 

“ She hit this! ” he exclaimed. “ Can’t we 
tie her up? ” 

Norman was plainly in doubt but they cleared 
away the surrounding snow and found that, 
instead of a single break, a section of the runner 
had been shattered. Two jagged ends of wood 
extended into the soft snow. 

“ If you’ll find any way to fix them,” ex- 
claimed Norman, “ maybe we can get a start. 
But it looks to me as if we’d have to make a 


new runner. 


220 


The Aeroplane Boys iSeries 


“ Nonsense! ” exclaimed Roy, beating his 
numbing hands together. u We can fix ’er.” 

The two boys made this attempt and, as often 
as they thought they had patched up the shat- 
tered ski and mounted into the car in attempts 
to make a start, the patched strip of wood would 
part and the chassis would lunge again into the 
snow. 

After a half hour of attempts of this kind, 
Roy recalled the dog sled in the distant hut of 
the paralyzed Indian and, in desperation, after 
four o ’clock, for it was now getting desperately 
cold, he secured Norman’s consent to a trip back 
to the Indian’s cabin and the securing of at 
least a part of the sled to patch up their 
machine. 

The winter days were now growing short and 
when Roy hurried away into the gray woods 
night was fast coming on. Nor did he find an 
easy task before him. In the end it was neces- 
sary to pay the paralytic twenty-five dollars 
before he could secure possession of the sled. 
As he made his way back to his waiting com- 
panion, he had to stick to the trails that they 
had previously made, for in the woods darkness 
had already come. 

At the airship camp he found Norman had 


On the Edge of the Arctic 221 

put in his waiting time in collecting a pile of 
fallen timber. It was now so cold that this 
served a double purpose — they needed the 
warmth and it served to illuminate the vicinity. 

The benumbed Roy also found tea ready and, 
better yet, a generous piece of moose meat fry- 
ing in the edge of the fire. These, with some 
broken bannock heated in the fat of the meat, 
gave the boys a welcome supper. Then, piling 
new wood on the fire, they began again the 
task of repairing the chassis. Here they were 
handicapped by the darkness, as they were 
afraid to get the monoplane and its reservoirs 
of gasoline too near the blazing camp fire. 

Finally they solved this difficulty by starting 
the engine and using one of their adjustable 
light bulbs, which they hung over the side of the 
car. Yet the cold had become so intense, 
although it was a dry Arctic cold, that the work 
went forward only by stages, the boys being 
forced to stop and warm their hands from time 
to time at the camp fire. 

When the iiew moon showed through the dark 
border of spruce trees and the brilliant north- 
ern stars pierced the black sky, the young avia- 
tors were ready for another trial. It was eight 
o’clock. This time they packed the snow for a 


222 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

hundred yards in front of the chassis of the car, 
and then, arranging their few blankets in the 
cockpit and refreshing themselves with some 
newly-made hot tea, exhausted and nervous, 
they climbed aboard. Putting on all their power 
and holding their runners steadily to the packed 
snow, they again started the Gitchie Manitou. 

While the runners were yet gliding over the 
evenly-packed snow drifts, there came an omin- 
ous jar on the side of the repaired ski and 
Norman instantly threw the planes upward. It 
was a chance for, if the car settled again, the 
new runner would probably give away. In its 
gathering momentum, the airship drifted snow- 
ward again while both boys gulped. Then as if 
guiding itself, it sprang upward once more. 

“ It’s all right! ” shouted Roy, “ but we 
had a close call. If we have to come down 
again we’ll never get up.” 

“ When we land again,” added Norman, his 
mouth dry, u it’ll be in the gas camp.” 

In a few minutes the airship was over the 
Athabasca River again, which was now vapor- 
less and white beneath them. 

“ It’s cold, all right,” was Roy’s comment at 
this moment. “ I think there’s ice on the 
river. ’ ’ 


On the Edge of the Arctic 223 

In spite of the increasing coldness, the 
Gitchie Manitou made its way without trouble 
toward the distant camp. There was no wind 
and, although the boys computed the tempera- 
ture outside at not less than twenty below zero, 
the interior of the little cockpit soon became 
cozy enough. The heating appliances had been 
connected with the dynamo and Norman at 
times even complained of the heat. After the 
first hour of flight, both boys began looking 
for the flare of the gas well. When this at 
last came in sight, the car was headed directly 
for it. At that time both boys agreed that the 
river beneath was covered with ice from shore 
to shore. 

“ Anyway,” said Norman, as the gas well 
came into full view, “ looks as if Paul didn’t 
succeed in capping the gusher to-day.” 

To warn their friends of their arrival, the 
boys threw on their searchlight, and the arrival 
back of the aerodrome was unmarked, except by 
the vociferous welcome accorded by the alarmed 
occupants of the camp. 

Another supper was awaiting the relief 
expedition and for some time all were busy with 
the cause of the delay and the details of the 
condition of the Indian encampment. Unques- 


224 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

tionably there would have to be another visit to 
the camp to ascertain at least the result of the 
hunting expedition. 

Strangely enough, before the matter of 
Chandler’s letter was reached, the discussion 
reached the work on the gas well that day. 
When Roy suddenly recalled the episode of the 
discovery in the paralyzed Indian’s cabin he 
started to produce the letter, but hesitated 
because both Ewen and Miller were present. In 
his discussion with Norman on the way back, 
it had been decided that the letter had probably 
been written by one or the other of these men 
and that its appearance might cause embarrass- 
ment. Both Ewen and Miller had been very 
curious about the settlement at Point aux 
Tremble, but they had asked no questions that 
connected Chandler with the place. 

When the hour grew late and Colonel How- 
ell proposed retiring to the bunk room where 
the iron stove was red hot, since neither Ewen 
nor Miller gave signs of turning in, Roy put off 
the matter of the letter until later. When the 
three boys sought their bunks, Ewen and Miller 
still lingered in the big room, and Colonel 
Howell was asleep. 

“ Time enough in the morning,” suggested 
Norman. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 225 

In the morning, however, Colonel Howell 
and Paul with Ewen and Miller were up and at 
work before Norman and Roy were astir. The 
weather had not moderated but Colonel Howell 
was anxious to bring the work on the gusher 
to a close. Ewen and Miller attacked the frost 
hardened ground before breakfast and this 
work had now reached the point where Paul 
could help in removing the heavy clods. 

When the young aviators joined their friends 
at breakfast, Ewen and Miller were present 
again and the letter was not exhibited. Then 
all hurried out to complete the work of attempt- 
ing to control the gusher. The regulator and 
the ordinary apparatus to connect it with the 
mouth of the pipe, together with the smaller 
tubes and their valves that were to be attached 
above the regulator, were all in place. In the 
end, Colonel Howell proposed, with still smaller 
pipes, to lead part of the gas into the fireplace 
and the bunk house stove. 

At eleven o’clock the perspiring men in the 
trench announced this part of the work com- 
pleted. Then it required only a few minutes 
to brace a narrow platform about five feet above 
the bottom of the trench, next to the tube, and 
all paused for a short rest before making the 


226 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

final experiment. At last the men took their 
places near the roaring gusher and, at Paul’s 
request, he was given the opportunity to use 
his well-muscled arms in swinging the sledge, 
Colonel Howell taking his place on the platform 
in charge of a long-handled chisel. 

The duties of Norman and Roy were to assist 
the two workmen in manipulating the chain 
pulley, by which the first tap was to be forced 
on the open end of the pipe. This of course 
was pierced with holes, so that the pressure 
beneath it might not be altogether shut off. 
This was to be forced down upon the steel drill 
tube, after which the regulator was to be simi- 
larly attached to the threads of the preliminary 
cap. The situation was hazardous for all. 
There was danger that the out-rushing gas in 
the trench below might explode when it rose and 
came in contact with the roaring blaze above. 
But it was hoped that the work might be done 
so quickly that this would not result. 

When Ewen had laid out his apparatus about 
the mouth of the tube with all the care of a 
surgeon preparing for a hasty operation, and 
Paul and Colonel Howell had taken their posi- 
tion on the scaffold far below, Ewen suddenly 
shouted : 


On the Edge of the Arctic 227 

“Ready!” 

A heavy blow resounded in the narrow pit. 
Then another, and another, and a new roar 
broke out below. Dropping their tools, Colo- 
nel Howell and Paul fled up their improvised 
ladder and when they reached the surface they 
saw the workmen and Norman and Roy, their 
faces distorted with effort and their clothes 
almost scorching, bend to the task before them. 
The escaping gas was still roaring and the 
flames were leaping sideways. 

Norman and Roy were almost flat on the 
ground, hanging on to the pulley chain. The 
first cap was in place and, with a long wrench, 
Ewen was twisting it onto the thread. A new 
volume of gas was already rolling from the 
pit, while from the incline opposite the mouth 
of the new opening, gravel and clods of earth 
were shooting riverward like the sparks of a 
Bessemer furnace. Paul threw himself on the 
ground with the other boys and added his 
strength to theirs in holding the cap in place. 
All seemed to forget the possibility of a new 
explosion. 

There was a hoarse shout from Ewen and 
the boys released the pulley chain while Miller 
slapped the regulator between the guide rods. 


228 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

As the three young men again threw themselves 
upon the chain and forced the regulator into 
place, the crucial moment had arrived. The con- 
trolling valve of the regulator was open, of 
course, and as the rushing gas was again con- 
centrated into one stream, a new fiery jet shot 
upward. But the lateral streams had been con- 
trolled and again Ewen applied the wrench to 
thread the regulator to the first cap. Once he 
failed and then the threads caught. With a yell 
of victory the veteran gas man threw himself 
against the long wrench again. 

“ You’ve got ’er! ” exclaimed Colonel 
Howell as he sprang to E wen’s side and joined 
him in screwing the regulator into place. Even 
before he spoke there was a renewed roar in the 
trench beneath and a new volume of gas poured 
upward. 

4 4 Fill ’er in ! ’ ’ shouted Paul. 4 4 The big rocks 
first.” And then, while the newly confined gas 
still shot upward through the regulator in a 
screaming stream of fire, six pairs of hands, 
including those of the energetic Philip, hurled 
a collected heap of rocks to the bottom of the 
trench and around the new opening. 

44 This ain’t goin’ to stop the flow,” explained 
Colonel Howell to Norman and Roy, as all 


On the Edge of the Arctic 229 

panted in their work, “ but it’s Paul’s idea, and 
I think he’s put it over.” 

“ Now for the dirt! ” shouted Paul, who was 
leading in the work. With shovels and pieces 
of board, the excavated material was rapidly 
dumped into the trench. With each new shovel- 
ful of material, the escape of gas from the 
trench became less and the roar from the open 
regulator became more deafening. When at 
last only an odor of gas escaped from the newly 
packed trench, Paul exclaimed : 

“ Plenty of water dumped in here ought to 
make a solid cake of ice around the opening and 
that ought to fix us till spring anyway. ’ ’ 

“ The cleverest idea you’ve yet given us! ” 
exclaimed Colonel Howell, as all paused for 
breath. “ Now, go over and finish your job. 
Turn off the regulator.” 

Proudly enough, Roy sprang to the roaring 
gusher and gave the protected valve wheel a 
few quick turns. Instantly the flow was shut 
off and silence followed. The young Austrian 
had made good. 

Many other mechanical details had to be 
seen to but the great problem had been solved 
and all were elated. The main work accomp- 
lished, Colonel Howell and the young men re- 


230 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

tired to the cabin, where, as soon as the excite- 
ment over Paul’s victory had somewhat sub- 
sided, Roy produced the letter he had found in 
the cabin of the paralyzed Indian. Colonel 
Howell, having heard the explanation of the 
finding of the letter, without any hesitation and 
evidently without jany qualms of conscience, 
drew out the enclosure. The letter was an 
illiterate scrawl. 

“ Mr. Chandler,” it began, “ we have de- 
cided our answer is this. Mebbe you are right 
and we three have done all the work here, but 
Colonel Howell has always been on the square. 
If you think you are intitled to go to Edmonton 
and make a claim for this property, we don’t. 
It’s been a perty hard job, but we been paid for 
it and don’t think we have no claim fur a title 
to this claim. Besides, this aint no time to 
try to go to Edmonton and get out papers. If 
we was goin, we’d wait till the river froze and 
take a dogsled. When you get your money you 
can go if you like. Like we promised you, we 
wont say nothin. So long as Colonel Howell 
treats us square we’re goin to stick. So no 
more at present. 


Ewen and Miller.” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 231 

The message was dated August 10th and was 
evidently a reply to some proposition made by 
Chandler after he was kicked out of the camp. 
While Colonel Howell read it, his face was very 
sober. Then he read it aloud to the boys and 
tossed it on the table while he lit a new cigar. 
All sat in silence for some time and then Nor- 
man said: 

“ I guess Chandler must have changed his 
mind too. He was here yesterday morning.’ ’ 

“ But the river’s frozen now,” suggested Roy 
quickly. “ What does this mean, Colonel 
Howell? ” went on Roy, his curiosity overcom- 
ing him. 

The colonel took a long draw on his cigar and 
at last found his old-time smile. 


CHAPTER XVI 


EOY CONDUCTS A HUNT 

“ At first,’ ’ lie said, “ it looked simple 
enough. So far as this letter is concerned, 
I’m not bothered. That is, I’m not afraid of 
Ewen and Miller. But Chandler’s proposition 
is another matter. It’s plain enough that he 
wanted our men to join him and go to Edtnonton 
and file papers on this claim. But that isn’t 
as ridiculous as it appears. You know,” he 
said, “ Mr. Zept asked me if I hadn’t grub- 
staked these fellows. If they could make it 
appear that I had, then part of this claim would 
belong to them. And if they all got together 
and swore that I had, I don’t know how I could 
prove that they were working for me on wages. 
Even if our own men would testify for me that 
this was my claim, if Chandler should happen 
to file his papers, this would cloud my title. 
Besides,” went on the colonel, “ Chandler is a 
naturalized Canadian and you know the mining 
laws up here are not made to favor the outsider. 

232 


On the Edge of the Arctic 233 

A foreigner such as I am, when he ’s working in 
these unsurveyed districts, can only stake out 
his claim, wait for the survey and then buy tho 
property. Chandler would have it all over me 
if he set up the claim of a native, especially 
ahead of me.” 

“ I don’t think he’s gone,” suggested Paul, 
“ for he ate breakfast here yesterday morning. ’ ’ 

“ And it’s somewhere between two hundred 
and fifty and three hundred miles between here 
and the land office,” exclaimed Norman. 

“ It would be interesting to know whether he 
has gone,” answered Colonel Howell. 

“ Why not ask Miller or Ewenf ” broke in 
Roy. “ They might know something about 
him. ’ ’ 

Colonel Howell shook his head: “ They’d 
better know nothing about the letter,” he an- 
swered at last. “ It was written a long time 
ago. ’ ’ 

“ You mean they may have changed their 
minds? ” asked Norman. 

“ I don’t mean that,” answered Colonel 
Howell, his face again sober, “ but they had 
the matter under consideration once. I don’t 
suspect them. I’ll just keep my eyes open and 
say nothing. If they are all right they might 
get sore and leave me. ’ ’ 


234 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

u Do yon mind,” asked Roy, ‘ 6 if I go out 
and do a little investigating? Chandler may be 
over to Fort McMurray.” 

The colonel thought a moment and then an- 
swered : 

“ That won’t do any harm. All of you might 
go hunting this afternoon over in that direction 
— if it isn’t too cold.” 

Eagerly enough the boys accepted the sug- 
gestion. Protected by their heavy clothing and 
carrying the camera and their skin-protected 
rifles, they found the trip to the settlement only 
exhilarating. At Fort McMurray the tempera- 
ture, which was twenty-two below zero, did not 
give much trouble so long as the wind did not 
blow. To those whom they met, the boys talked 
of being on their way to the hills for moose. 
But later they determined not to venture upon 
the highlands, deciding to make a detour in the 
timber on their way back for a possible deer. 

They had no trouble in getting trace of 
Chandler. In the cabin of a white prospector, 
where Chandler was well known, they picked up 
the latest town gossip. This was that Chandler, 
who yet seemed to have plenty of money, had 
hired Pete Fosseneuve, a half-breed, only two 
days before to take him back to his trapping 
camp at Pointe aux Tremble. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 235 

“ He’s been working there all fall,” explained 
their informant, “ and Fosseneuve has a team 
of six fine dogs. He paid Pete a lot of money 
to take him back to his camp night before last. 
They ought to be there to-morrow some time.” 

This statement allayed the suspicion directed 
against the dissolute Englishman and the young 
men made an early return to the camp. 

“I’m glad I didn’t say anything to Ewen and 
Miller,” commented Colonel Howell, when he 
learned that Chandler had gone still further into 
the woods. “ Now we’ll get to work on our 
prospecting in earnest.” 

When the controlled gas had been piped into 
the cabin, in spite of the cold weather, Ewen and 
Miller at once went to work building a new der- 
rick near the best prospect and sledging the 
boiler and engine to that location. In this work 
nearly a week went by, the boys finding little to 
do. The weather seemed settled into a cold 
spell in which the thermometer ranged at noon- 
day about twenty below. 

It was at this time that a long suppressed 
ambition of Norman and Roy came to the sur- 
face. They wanted a real hunting trip. The 
three young men were natural lovers of the open 
and curious about animal life in the wilderness. 


236 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

But, so far, none of the younger members of 
the camp had really had an opportunity to test 
himself amid the rigors of a northern winter. 

Colonel Howell finally consented to their leav- 
ing on a hunting expedition that would give 
them at least one over-night camp in the snow. 
This was on the condition that Philip should 
accompany the shooting party and that it should 
not proceed over a day’s march from camp. 

The plan of the hunt was really Roy’s. He 
prepared the provisions and was accepted as 
leader of the party. 

“ It wouldn’t be any trouble to equip our- 
selves like tenderfeet,” he explained to Colonel 
Howell, ‘ 1 and to make a featherbed trip of this. 
But we ’re going to travel like trappers. ’ ’ 

The hunt was to be for caribou back over the 
hills in the direction of the Barren Lands. In 
the end Colonel Howell agreed that the party 
might advance two days ’ travel into the wilder- 
ness but that it must return to camp on the 
evening of the fourth day. 

Less than an hour’s preparation was neces- 
sary and when Philip and the three boys left 
camp one morning, the expedition had little 
appearance of the usual, heavily laden winter 
hunters. Each member of the party was on 


On the Edge of the Arctic 237 

snowshoes, and behind them they drew a small 
sled containing their camp equipment. It was 
hardly more than a packload for a strong Indian 
but the sled was taken in the hope that it might 
bring in a return load of fresh meat. 

Philip and Norman carried rifles carefully 
protected in mooseskin cases. Paul carried 
nothing but his camera and an automatic revol- 
ver. Roy took the first turn at the sled. The 
morning was fair but cold, and the bright sun 
had no effect upon the snow-laden trees. 

When the enthusiastic hunters reached the 
Port McMurray settlement just below the camp 
they left the river and struck inland. Within 
an hour they had passed through the pines and 
poplars fringing the river and had reached the 
summit of a “ hog-back ” range of hills beyond 
which there was known to be a little valley run- 
ning at right angles to the course of the river. 

When the four travelers reached the top of 
the “ hog-back ” and saw the frozen snow-cov- 
ered valley before them, like children out for 
a lark, Philip no less active than the others, 
they coasted into the valley. Until the sun was 
high above them they made their way along the 
frozen creek toward the head of the wide defile. 
About noon, camp was made, tea was brewed 


238 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

and, partly behind the protection of a little 
frozen waterfall, bannock and cold meat were 
added to the hot tea. No time was lost in cook- 
ing. 

With faces and ears protected by their heavy 
caps, and with heavy mittens to guard their 
fingers against frost bite, not one of the party 
complained of the intense cold. 

“ It’s all right,” explained Philip, “ unless 
the wind comes up, and if it does we’ll have to 
go into camp.” 

But in the valley no wind arose to make any 
trouble. The party set forward to reach the 
head of the valley before time to go into camp. 
They did this by three o ’clock and then, mount- 
ing an elevation and passing through a thin 
fringe of dwarf pines, the boys found them- 
selves on a wind-swept plateau where the snow 
clung with difficulty. 

They had seen plenty of deer, rabbits and 
small game during the day but had done no 
shooting. They were after caribou or moose. 
The first look over the desolate plateau, where 
not even trees broke the landscape, was far from 
inviting. As the sun began to go down and 
little was to be seen other than a few rocky 
irregularities and a thin covering of snow with 


On the Edge of the Arctic 239 

drifts here and there like white islands, camp 
prospects were not as inviting as they had 
seemed in the valley behind them. 

“ Come on,” exclaimed Roy, as the party 
paused on the edge of the heights. “ This be- 
gins to look like the real thing. ’ ’ 

“ Maybe some moose,” was Philip’s rejoin- 
der. “ No moose track on de valley below.” 

“ Hear that? ” exclaimed Roy. “ Every- 
body get busy. I reckon we can’t go any far- 
ther inland to-night than that heap o ’ rock way 
over there. ’ ’ He pointed to a barren elevation 
on the already darkening horizon. “You hunt- 
ers,” he added, indicating Norman and Philip, 
“ ought to spread out and look for game tracks 
in the swales to the right and left. But don’t 
go too far. Work your way in toward those 
rocks before night. You’ll find us there. Come 
on, Paul,” he added with unusual enthusiasm, 
considering that it was rapidly growing colder 
in the open country, “ there’s probably no wood 
over there. You and I’ll get some here and 
meet the hunters at the rock pile. ’ ’ 

While Norman and the Indian started out, 
Roy loosened the axe and drew the sled back 
into the pine scrub to look for fallen timber. 
This was a tedious process and it was even 


240 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

more of a task to load the firewood onto the 
sled. 

‘ ‘ The tent ’ll fix us all right, ’ ’ explained Roy 
as he backed against the wind and began to 
dump his firewood on the snow. “ But first 
we’ve got to make a camp site. Take off your 
snowshoes. ’ ’ 

Where the wind had been cutting over the 
tops of the rocks a sort of vacuum had been 
formed behind the ridge and into this the snow 
had been piled up to a depth of four or five feet. 
With a snowshoe, each boy tackled this bank. 
Soon they had dug a pit in it about ten by ten 
feet. By throwing the loose snow around the 
edge of this they created a wall about seven 
feet high. 

“ Now I’ll show you a trick I read about ,’ 9 
exclaimed Roy. 

From the pine grove on the edge of the 
plateau he had dragged the slender trunk of a 
poplar tree about twelve feet long. This he 
now threw over the opening in the snow, making 
a sort of a ridge pole, and then with Paul’s 
assistance unrolled the tent and spread it across. 
While Paul held the edges of the somewhat 
awkward canvas in place on top of the snow 
wall Roy piled snow on the ends of the canvas 


On the Edge of the Arctic 241 

and just as it was too dark to see more the 
excavation was thoroughly roofed except in one 
corner where the irregular canvas did not fit. 

“We need that for a chimney opening any- 
way, ’ 9 exclaimed Roy. 

Before a fire could be started, however, there 
was the sound of a rifle off to the south, to which 
Paul responded with a pistol shot. Then the 
camp makers carried their wood into the snow 
house and while Paul attended to their scanty 
food supply and arranged the sleeping bags as 
rugs on the crisp snow floor, Roy started a fire. 
The blaze emphasized the darkness without and, 
realizing that their companions had no signal, 
the two boys split up a torch with the axe and 
carried it outside where, while they could keep 
it alight, it might serve as a beacon. 

But this was not necessary. Both the Indian 
and Norman came in, guided by Paul’s revolver 
shot. Neither reported signs of game. Both 
were elated over the house which was already 
§o warm within that the heavy coats and mittens 
could be discarded. 

u I s’pose supper’s all ready,” exclaimed 
Norman after he had got his numbed limbs 
warmed. 

“No,” answered Roy, “I’ve just been wait- 


242 The Aeroplme Boys Series 

ing for yon so we could have it all fresh and hot. 
I’m going to prepare it myself and everything’s 
going to be in trapper style. It won ’t be much 
but it’s all you need and it’s according to the 
rules and regulations. I’ve already got my hot 
water. Now I’ll get the bannocks ready.” 

“ Didn’t you bring those I made for you! ” 
asked Philip, the camp cook and hunter. 

“ I prefer to make ’em myself,” answered 
Roy, “ just as the Indians make ’em in the 
woods.” 

Philip smiled and Norman and Paul looked 
somewhat disappointed but neither made objec- 
tion. 

“ Here’s my flour,” explained Roy who had 
already rolled up his sweater sleeves and pro- 
duced an old flour bag with a few pounds of 
flour in the bottom of it. “I mixed the baking 
powder with the flour before we left camp so as 
to save time,” he explained. 

“ Seems to me we’ve got all night,” inter- 
rupted Norman. “ They don’t do that to save 
time — you’re mixed. They do that to save 
carrying the baking powder in a separate pack- 
age. ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Anyway, ’ ’ retorted Roy, ‘ ‘ it ’s the way real 
trappers do.” 


On the Edge of the Arctic 243 

He had rolled the sides of the sack down to 
make a kind of receptacle at the bottom of which 
lay his flour. Then with a piece of wood he 
pried off the top of the tea kettle and was about 
to pour some boiling water onto the flour when 
Philip with a grunt stopped him. 

“ Non,” exclaimed the Indian! “ You spoil 
him.” 

Over Roy’s feeble protest the Indian scooped 
up snow and deposited it in the boiling water 
until the fluid was somewhat cooler. Then he 
passed the kettle to the waiting Roy who began 
to mix his Indian bread. But had Philip 
allowed Roy to proceed in his generous applica- 
tion of water, his proposed bannocks would have 
resulted in flour paste. In the end, because 
Roy had to get his pork ready, the volunteer 
cook permitted Philip to finish the fashioning of 
a bannock as big as the frying pan, — the only 
cooking utensil that Roy had thought necessary 
to bring with them. 

“ Now,” exclaimed Roy, as he deposited a 
generous piece of salt pork in the frying pan, 
* ‘ I ’ll show you how the hungry trapper makes 
a supper fit for a king.” 

As the pork began to sizzle in the pan those 


244 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

who were eagerly watching the amateur cook 
saw the piece separating into thin sections. 

“ You see, that’s what we trappers always 
do,” explained Roy rather proudly. “ You 
can’t slice pork when it’s frozen solid. I sliced 
my pork before we left camp this morning. ’ ’ 

By this time the rashers of pork were swim- 
ming about in the hot fat like doughnuts in bub- 
bling lard. 

“ It certainly smells all right,” exclaimed 
Paul, as the appetizing odor from the frying 
meat filled the snow cave. i ‘ Hurry up and give 
us a piece. ’ ’ 

Roy made no reply but busied himself stirring 
the bits of meat with the point of his knife. 

“ Is the bread ready? ” the cook asked, turn- 
ing to Philip. 

The Indian only pointed to the big ball of 
dough flattened out like a gigantic pancake and 
ready for the skillet. 

Thereupon Roy seized the handle of his fry- 
ing pan, shifted the skillet to one side and, rest- 
ing it on the snow, began to flip the bits of salt 
pork onto the snow floor. 

“ Here, what are you doing? ” shouted Nor- 
man. 

“ You don’t eat those scraps,” announced 


On the Edge of the Arctic 245 

Roy positively. “ The only good in pork is the 
fat and the fat’s all in the skillet. We trappers 
give these scraps to the dogs — only we ain’t 
got any dogs.” 

“Well I’ll be a dog all right,” exclaimed 
Norman and as fast as Roy flipped the brown 
rashers out with his knife point Norman and 
Paul grabbed them up. 

“ There ain’t any need of doin’ that,” snorted 
Roy. 6 1 I tell you there ain ’t any good in those 
things and it’s against all the rules anyhow. 
You’ll get all the fat you want when our ban- 
nock’s done.” 

“ Well, then, why don’t you start it? ” asked 
Paul. “ I suppose it’ll take it an hour to cook. 
And your fat ’s getting cold anyway. ’ ’ 

“ That’s where you show your ignorance,” 
retorted Roy. “ I suppose you fellows think I 
don’t know my business. If I’d put that ban- 
nock right into this hot fat it would have fried 
like a doughnut. I’ve got to get this grease 
soaked up in my bread. That’s why I’m lettin’ 
the grease get cool.” 

With this he took the flat looking loaf from 
the Indian’s hands and slipped it into the al- 
ready nearly full frying pan. But Roy knew 
his limitations. As he lifted the pan back upon 


246 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

the coals and the grease began to sizzle and snap 
he knew that he had exhausted his culinary 
knowledge. 

“ Here,” he said to the Indian, “ you can 
watch this while it cooks.” 

With a smile the Indian took the handle of 
the pan, shook it deftly a few times, lifted the 
edge of the dough with skilled fingers and then 
settled the pan upon a bed of coals just outside 
the heart of the fire and, squatted by its side, 
carefully watched the baking. Meanwhile, Nor- 
man and Paul were crunching bacon scraps 
while Roy was mopping his perspiring brow 
with the sleeve of his sweater. 

“ If that’s all we’re going to have,” broke 
in Norman, “ I want to go home.” 

But that was all they did have. The con- 
scientious Roy, who had given the subject much 
consideration, had carefully refrained from 
bringing any luxuries other than tea and a little 
sugar. But by the time the bannock was done 
— and the Indian knew how to cook it — the 
three boys had become so hungry that the Indian 
bread was eaten ravenously. Then the party 
crept into their sleeping bags at an early hour 
and passed the night without discomfort. 

Philip took charge of the camp in the morn- 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


247 


ing and before the boys crept out of their bags 
he served each of them with a cup of hot tea. 
When the boys looked outside of their snow tent 
it seemed hardly dawn and yet it was after eight 
o’clock. Philip shook his head and announced 
prospects of bad weather. There was no sun 
and, although it was no colder than it had been 
the day before, there was a gloom over all that 
suggested a storm. 

Not one of the boys would have suggested it 
but the Indian did not hesitate to warn them 
that they should return to the camp at once. 

“ I don’t know how I would vote on this 
question,” said Norman, “ if we’d had proper 
provisions. But I don’t propose to live three 
more days on the ghost of salt pork. And, be- 
sides, we’ve got plenty of moose meat in camp. 
I ’m not so keen about going to the Barren Lands 
as I was.” 

This was why late that afternoon Colonel 
Howell was both surprised and glad to see his 
young friends trot into camp. 


CHAPTER XVII 


the Gitchie Manitou wins a kace 

Norman and Roy soon became restless and 
after a few days ’ idleness asked Colonel Howell 
for permission to make their delayed visit to 
the Pointe aux Tremble Indian camp. The day 
set for this second relief expedition promised 
a continuation of clear dry weather. Almost 
duplicating their last provisions, the monoplane 
got away at dawn. At the last moment, Paul 
was substituted for Roy, and he and Norman 
made an uneventful flight directly up the river. 
This time a landing was made at the foot of the 
bluff on the smooth ice of the river. The pro- 
visions were distributed and then the two boys 
visited the cabin of the paralytic Indian. 

‘ ‘ Chandler probably will be out running his 
trap line,” suggested Norman, “ but he may be 
at home.” 

Within the cabin they found only the Indian. 
To Norman’s surprise, the rusty traps still hung 
on the wall, with no sign of having been touched 
since he and Roy visited the cabin. Norman’s 
248 


On the Edge of the Arctic 249 

observing eye at once examined the other parts 
of the room. 

In the bunk corner there was absolutely no 
change. He would have sworn that Chandler 
had not slept in the place since he returned. A 
sudden suspicion coming into Norman’s mind, 
he walked to the bunk corner of the room and 
pointed to the crevice from which they had 
taken the letter. The Indian grinned. Then 
Norman pointed to the curing boards, made 
motions with his hands to indicate a man of 
about Chandler’s build and other pantomimes 
of inquiry. The Indian responded with his 
usual grin, then shook his head. Norman’s jaw 
dropped. 

“ Paul,” he exclaimed, 1 1 we’re a lot of 
chumps. Chandler never came back to this 
camp. He hired the best dog team in this part 
of the world and while we were all asleep he’s 
been hurrying to Edmonton. He’s had seven 
days’ start, and the way these dogs travel, he’ll 
cover that distance in jig time. Come on,” he 
almost shouted, “ we’ve got something to do 
now besides feeding lazy Indians. The hunters 
are back, anyway, and there won’t be any starv- 
ing around here. We’ve got to get back to 
Colonel Howell as fast as the airship’ll go.” 


250 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

Philip’s supper was awaiting the return of 
the Gitchie Manitou, but its serving was long 
delayed. For an hour the conference that took 
place immediately upon the safe housing of the 
monoplane continued while each participant con- 
tributed his views. The conclusion was inevi- 
table. Colonel Howell must proceed to Edmon- 
ton at once. There was a discussion as to 
whether this perilous flight should be made to 
Athabasca Landing, where Colonel Howell 
would have to make the last hundred miles of 
journey by train, or whether the trip through 
the Arctic skies should be made by compass 
directly to Edmonton. 

Finally it was decided, in view of the compre- 
hensive charts that they had of the intervening 
country, that the latter should be the program, 
even if it were necessary to make a landing on 
the way. 

“ The trains from Athabasca Landing,” con- 
cluded Colonel Howell at last, “ run only three 
times a week, and I’m not sure of the schedule.” 

“ Then,” announced Norman, “ we’ll do it 
by Air Line . We can make it, if you want to 
trust me. ’ ’ 

“ I think it’s worth while,” laughed the 
colonel. 


On the Edge of the Arctic 251 

4 4 Yon haven’t much time,” broke in the ex- 
cited Roy. ‘ i They ’ve had good hard snow, and 
this half-breed ’s got a great team, I understand. 
If they made forty miles a day, and I’ve heard 
o’ them doing that, you’ll have to get a hustle 
on you.” 

“ We leave to-night,” announced Norman, 
springing to his feet. “ Philip ! ” he called. 

Colonel Howell, with a disturbed look on his 
face, interrupted: 

“ Couidn’t we leave in the morning — 
early ? ” he suggested. 4 ‘ I think I ’d rather ride 
by daylight. ’ ’ 

“ You’ll feel more comfortable by night,” 
laughed Paul, ‘ 1 and you don ’t need to miss your 
sleep. Norman won ’t have any use for you. ’ ’ 

The discussion did not close for some time 
after this and when supper was finally served, 
the last detail had been arranged. The meal 
proceeded without any sign of the momentous 
event to follow. At its conclusion, Colonel 
Howell turned to Ewen and Miller and said, 
almost nonchalantly: 

‘ i Boys, I ’m going to leave you for a few days. 
Your friend Chandler is on his way to Edmon- 
ton to make trouble for me.” 

Both men looked startled and Ewen ex- 
claimed : 


252 


The Aeroplane Boys Senes 


“ What’s that? ” 

u The same thing he wanted yon boys to do 
and in which you wouldn’t join him.” 

“ What do you mean? ” Miller managed to 
ask. 

“ What you wrote him a letter about,” an- 
swered Colonel Howell calmly. “ I read that. 
But,” he went on, as both men gave new signs 
of alarm, “ I’m goin’ to forget it. Do you men 
want to go on working for me as you have in the 
past? ” 

Flushed faces made any other answer un- 
necessary. 

“ All right,” continued Colonel Howell, 
“ then that’s settled. But I want you to get 
Chandler out of your systems. You can stay 
here. To show you that I trust you, I ’m going 
to leave you in the camp again.” 

Immediately, activity began; Norman and 
Boy working on the Gitchie Manitou, the half- 
breed preparing supplies, and Colonel Howell 
making notes and getting papers together on the 
still littered table. 

On an air line, the young aviators estimated 
the distance across country at about two hun- 
dred and seventy miles. After a consultation it 
was decided to proceed at the rate of about 


On the Edge of the Arctic 253 

thirty-five miles an hour. This meant eight 
hours in the air. As there was no need of 
reaching the distant city before eight o’clock, 
it was agreed to start at midnight. At seven 
o’clock, all preparations having been made, Nor- 
man turned in for a few hours’ sleep. 

Colonel Howell devoted some time to his 
private arrangements and spent the remainder 
of the evening discussing the flight with the 
other occupants of the cabin. Norman being 
sound asleep at twelve o ’clock, the others agreed 
not to arouse him for another hour, considering 
the work he had done that day. But at one 
o’clock new activity began. 

A match was again applied to the gas well 
and the monoplane was whirled out into the 
spectacular illumination. There could be only 
a brief handshake all around. Then, without 
a slip, the monoplane was off in the light of the 
waning moon. 

Least of all did the voyagers suffer from the 
keen cold. With a plentiful store of gasoline, 
the heaters were at once started but in a short 
time Colonel Howell asked Norman to shut off 
one of them. The passenger had been assigned 
the duty of watching the engine gauge and re- 
cording it, together with the chronometer rec- 


254 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

ord. Norman did not find this necessary but it 
was a check upon his own observations and a 
safeguard against errors in noting their prog- 
ress. 

It was too dark for the colonel to feel any 
sense of apprehension. As there was no wind, 
the conditions were ideal for an aerial flight, and 
Norman having once shaped his course, the 
powerful car sped on its way as if sliding down- 
hill. In time the monotonous whir of the pro- 
pellers appeared to have its effect upon Colonel 
Howell, and Norman caught him dozing more 
than once. He then explained to his passenger 
that his observations were no longer necessary 
and persuaded Colonel Howell to wrap up in 
his blanket and go to sleep. 

When the passenger aroused himself, about 
five o’clock, Norman asked him to make some 
tea and see what Philip had prepared in the way 
of food. It was his only way of relaxing under 
the strain and he ate heartily. Later, Colonel 
Howell again pulled his blankets about him and 
did not stir until the gray of the winter dawn 
was in the air. The moon had long since dis- 
appeared but the stars were brilliant. 

When the land beneath came into view, the 
oil prospector took his place in front of the port 


On the Edge of the Arctic 


255 


section for his first view of the world from the 
clouds. Then day came and the east grew red. 
No settlement was yet in sight, but as the golden 
sun began to glisten on the snow-weighted trees, 
Colonel Howell gave an exclamation. 

“ There ’s the railroad! ” he shouted. “ We’re 
crossing it.” 

“ Just after eight o’clock,” muttered Nor- 
man, as he craned his neck to make out the land 
beneath. “ We’re certainly this side o’ the 
town and we ’ll take to the tracks. ’ ’ 

With this, he brought the steady airship about 
and began to follow the rails, which were now 
plain enough below. For another quarter of an 
hour, the monoplane made its way steadily to 
the south and then a sudden blur broke the land- 
scape in the distance. 

“ There she is,” remarked Norman, almost 
casually. “ Don’t forget your packages and 
bundles.” 

At nine o’clock Colonel Howell and Norman 
were eating breakfast at the Royal George 
Hotel. At half past ten they were leaving the 
big new Provincial Capitol Building. The 
colonel had filed his claims and had his papers 
safely in his pocket. A little later, entering the 
busy hotel office once more, Norman hastily 


256 The Aeroplane Boys Series 

caught his patron’s sleeve. Seated in front of 
the hotel fireplace, as if gratefully drinking in 
its warmth, was the worn and emaciated Chand- 
ler. By his side was Fosseneuve the half-breed, 
already far gone in intoxication. 

Colonel Howell stepped forward, as if about 
to speak to the defeated man. Then he paused. 

“ Can’t do any good,” he exclaimed in an 
undertone to Norman. “ We got there first. 
And he might have beaten us at that if he hadn ’t 
stopped here in the hotel too long. We’ll take 
the afternoon train down to Calgary for a day’s 
visit. Then, when you’re ready, we’ll go back 
to the boys.” 



































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JUL 23 1913 




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